India’s World Cup campaign remains solid, but the form of their new opener is now the talking point. Abhishek Sharma, so prolific in the IPL and in the lead-up series, has scraped together only 15 runs in four outings at this T20 World Cup, including three ducks on the bounce. That run of scores has invited plenty of arm-chair coaching, and even a bit of panic outside the dressing-room.
Faf du Plessis, speaking on the ESPNcricinfo Timeout show, prefers calm reflection to panic.
“Tactically, the game has got so smart with analysts and the way that they are trying to get you out,” du Plessis said. “What I’ve picked up of late with Abhishek is people are now putting a deep point out and a deep extra cover out because he’s so good at hitting the ball through the off side.”
In other words, bowling attacks have identified his favourite release shot – the flat-batted carve over extra cover – and are waiting for it with two sweepers. That field, plus a steady diet of slower balls, has already worked for the USA and South Africa. Sharma fell first ball against the States, slicing to deep cover; against South Africa he never found any rhythm, mis-timing another off-side big hit after prodding at several cutters.
“So the key is to make sure that when you get to the crease, you’re aware of what the opposition is trying to do,” du Plessis continued. “How are they trying to get me out? And then your decision as a batter, am I still sticking to my strengths? Am I trying to whack the ball for six over point, over cover? Or am I trying to bring the risk a little bit down and hit the ball on the ground for one or two, or try to score in a different area? Knowing Abhishek, you’re probably trying to whack it for six over cover because he hits the ball so clean. But that’s the decisions you have to make as a batter.”
The slower ball plan is just as noticeable, du Plessis added. “The other thing I’ve picked up is that teams are bowling a lot of slower balls at him, and it’s because he’s got such a beautiful swing. What you’re trying to do with guys that have such a long swing is you’re trying to take pace off the ball. So once again, his decision is, how do I counter guys when they’re bowling it slow?
“For me, what I try to do when guys are bowling slower balls at me, I either try to come down the wicket because you want to generate pace to hit the ball, or you try to hang back and set for that slower ball so that your hands are never in front of you. I’m not going to try to talk to Abhishek about batting. You know exactly what to do, but I can see teams are bowling a lot of slower balls at him.”
It is no secret that Sharma prefers pace on. In the IPL he often gives himself room and throws his hands through the line, especially in the powerplay. International attacks, with four boundary riders allowed outside the circle, can afford to be a touch more defensive.
ESPNcricinfo analysts Sanjay Bangar and Varun Aaron also ran through each dismissal on the broadcast. Their consensus: technique is fine, awareness of the match situation just needs a tweak. The numbers back that up – Sharma’s strike rate against balls over 135kph in the last 12 months sits above 160, yet it tumbles below 120 once pace drops under that mark.
Despite the blip, du Plessis is adamant there is no need for sweeping change. “Right now, everyone in the world is talking about [him],” he noted. “There will be 1000 opinions, 50 coaches. Everyone will want to give their 5 cents to Abhishek and the way he should bat. And it’s a tough place to be if you’re a young guy, 25 years old, in your first World Cup with so much expectations. He has bossed the last year, smashed every bowling attack all over the place.”
That final line is important. Sharma’s last 12 T20s before the World Cup brought him 468 runs at a strike rate pushing 170. A run of low scores does not suddenly erase that.
“Give him a couple more innings, the youngster will come through and will have an amazing innings somewhere in this World Cup,” du Plessis predicted, sounding more mentor than rival.
India’s next fixture is against New Zealand in Hamilton. The Seddon Park boundaries are short straight rather than square, and the surface can be true early on. A good chance, then, for Sharma to reset, maybe get outside the line of a slower ball, and, crucially, to keep one eye on those pesky sweepers on the off side.
If nothing else, he now knows exactly where they’ll be.
