“The Fluency Is Not There”: Sunil Gavaskar on Abhishek Sharma’s T20 World Cup Struggles

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has raised concerns over the form of star opener Abhishek Sharma during the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup, saying the young batter's natural fluency is missing at a crucial stage of the tournament.

Ranked World No.1 in T20Is, Abhishek has endured a difficult run, registering three ducks and managing just a scratchy 15 against South Africa in Ahmedabad. In India's 188-run chase at the Narendra Modi Stadium, he struggled for timing and rhythm, scoring 15 off 12 balls with one six and two fours before falling under pressure.

South Africa's pace duo of Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada executed their plans effectively, cramping him for room and limiting his preferred off-side strokeplay. Rabada, in particular, targeted his pads consistently, cutting off scoring options even after being hit for a boundary.

Gavaskar analysed the technical and mental aspects of Abhishek's slump, dismissing the argument that good net sessions guarantee match performance. "The fluency is not there at the moment. In the nets, you know you'll face the next ball even if you get out on the first. But in a match, it's a completely different story," he said during the broadcast.

He added that match pressure can restrict a batter's natural movement, especially when attempting big shots. According to Gavaskar, Abhishek appeared "a little stuck," unable to free his arms as he usually does.

India's 76-run defeat marked their first T20 World Cup loss since the 2022 semifinal against England. After winning eight consecutive matches en route to their 2024 title and four more at this edition, the unbeaten streak finally ended against the Proteas - a setback that has tightened the race for semifinal qualification.