Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers shared advice for Team India opener Abhishek Sharma ahead of the upcoming third T20 match. The South African great said that Abhishek Sharma does not need to hit big shots on every ball, adding that he should slow down a bit, look at the ball and relax before playing his shots.
India will take on South Africa in the third match of the five-match T20 series on Sunday, December 14. Abhishek could not make much impact in the last match in Mullanpur on 11th December. The left-handed batsman scored only 17 runs in India’s chase of 214 runs and the team eventually lost by 51 runs.
It is not necessary to hit a six on every ball – AB de Villiers to Abhishek Sharma
AB de Villiers believes India’s top order is feeling unnecessary pressure to attack from the first ball, which is affecting their shot-making. The former batsman said that Abhishek Sharma does not need to hit sixes on every ball and added that he would benefit from building his innings with more calmness.
“I think the top three have been labeled as being incredibly aggressive and there’s a lot of pressure on them to play a certain way. I think the trend going forward will be for them to find their own game and just slow down a little bit,” de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
He said, “Because of the prestige you have in the IPL, it is not necessary to hit sixes on every ball. Especially for Abhishek, I would just tell him to relax and see the ball and just play. Nobody expects you to hit sixes on every ball. I think sometimes they are in a hurry and forget to do the basics and set the stage.”
I don’t think they are arrogant, but they feel pressure – AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers believes India’s top-order batsmen are working hard to maintain their ultra-aggressive image. He said the top three Indian batsmen are putting unnecessary pressure on themselves to hit every ball, especially against high-quality international bowlers.
“The theme for India going forward should be that the top three players don’t play. I don’t think they are arrogant, but they feel pressure to play a certain way,” de Villiers said.
“Just remember you are up against an international bowling attack and the pressure is even greater. Just remember why you have been successful and what the basics are. That would be my message to the top three in the Indian batting order,” he said.
AB de Villiers on India’s T20I middle-order flexibility
The former Proteas captain also said that India’s frequent changes to its middle order are not a problem, as everyone below the top three can make changes freely depending on the situation. He said that a flexible lineup actually helps teams find favorable matchups, as some batsmen prefer or avoid certain bowlers.
De Villiers further said, “I don’t think there is anything wrong with the flexibility of the middle order. They can swim, they can jump up and down. The top three will remain the same.”
He said, “Four, five, six, seven – I have always liked a floating batting order because there are different match-ups and there are some batsmen who do not like to face certain bowlers but also like to face some. As a coach, it is your responsibility to get those match-ups right.”
Suryakumar Yadav batted at number 3 in the opener but dropped to number 4 in the next match. Axar Patel was promoted to No. 3 in the second game, while Tilak Verma also dropped one place. These changes reflect the team’s ongoing experimentation with the top and middle order.
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