There is a lot of confusion over whether Abhishek Sharma should play for India in the upcoming semi-final match against England or not. Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel has provided the perfect update on the selection of explosive left-handed batsmen for the upcoming match.
India will face England in the second semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. This will be the third consecutive time in the T20 World Cup that India and England are clashing in a knockout match and are eyeing a place in the final.
England lost their only game against the West Indies during the group stage, while they remained undefeated in the Super 8 stage. However, India’s only defeat came against South Africa in the Super 8.
Morkel’s words point towards retaining Abhishek Sharma in the playing eleven, “It’s a new page for him tomorrow.”
Abhishek Sharma is in very poor form for India in the World Cup. No. India’s number one T20 batsman Abhishek Sharma’s troubles have increased till this World Cup and this has sparked a heated debate about his place in the playing eleven.
Sharma has been given ample opportunities. Having played in 6 matches in the World Cup, he has scored three ducks and scored 80 runs, of which 55 came against Zimbabwe. With Sanju Samson’s return to form and Ishan Kishan’s stellar performances, Abhishek has become almost a liability in the Indian lineup.
However, Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel doesn’t think so as he has backed the left-handed opener, saying that the England game is a blank canvas for Abhishek to come in and perform well, just like Samson did after a long spell of poor form.
Morkel said, “Sanju found himself in a similar situation, it’s a good development and learning for Abhishek. It’s a new opportunity for him tomorrow and an opportunity to go out there and perform well.”
Morne Morkel predicts Wankhede Stadium pitch
Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel has freely said that he still doesn’t know how the pitch will behave at the Wankhede Stadium. He predicted that it is too hot and the wicket should not be allowed to dry out too much.
“We have our bases covered; the team will be selected based on how the pitch looks on game day,” Morkel said. He also talked about how England is street smart and dangerous due to its deep batting strength. Morkel also predicted that in a clash between two dangerous teams, the one who assesses the conditions well will come out on top.
Morkel once again said, “There has been water on the pitch. It’s still soft, so it’s hard to get a read on it right now. But if it’s a high-scoring game, we need to raise our standards.” He further said that dew will also be a big concern here, as one cannot control the toss.
“He’s highly skilled and hard to pick out.” – Morne Morkel on Varun Chakraborty
Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel has started to address the concerns regarding in-form Indian leg spinner Varun Chakravarthy. He was seen having some special sessions with Indian bowler and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate and fielding coach T Dilip.
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