Australia’s former World Cup-winning captain Aaron Finch praised Sanju Samson’s opening ability and asked Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir to keep Abhishek Sharma away from the India-Pakistan match.
Left-handed batsman Abhishek Sharma is a master of the shortest format of the game. He has been India’s most consistent and most explosive player in recent times, as he has excelled for India in the Asia Cup and the rest of the bilateral series played against world-class opponents.
However, just before the Namibia match, Abhishek Sharma had to be hospitalized due to a stomach infection. He was discharged after a short stay in hospital, while also suffering a significant weight loss due to the illness, throwing his involvement largely into doubt.
Varun Chakraborty hints at possible return of Abhishek Sharma against Pakistan
India’s dynamic opening batsman Abhishek Sharma has emerged as a big worry for them. The aggressive opening batsman performed in the game against the United States, but, reportedly due to ill health, he was out on the very first ball.
After Abhishek missed the ICC T20 World Cup clash against Namibia due to viral fever and stomach infection, Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy revealed that Abhishek could be included in the playing eleven for the crucial clash with Pakistan.
Possibly making his point, Abhishek Sharma has traveled to Colombo for the upcoming Sunday’s clash between India and Pakistan. This match is to be played at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Australian World Cup winner supports Sanju Samson ahead of match against Pakistan
Former World Cup-winning Australian captain Aaron Finch has backed opener Sanju Samson and congratulated him for his aggressive start against Namibia. He has suggested that at this time India should try to be cautious regarding Abhishek’s fitness.
“No, they are quite stacked, there’s no doubt about that. Sanju is on top – he got off to a flyer with Ishan last night. As big as the game is, I think India will have an eye on the Super 8s, semi-finals and final,” Finch said.
The former Australian captain also feels that India should focus on their long-term goals rather than rushing to make a comeback in the middle of the tournament.
So, for me, if Abhishek is still in bad shape and you don’t want to take the risk, it’s completely fine, because you understand that you may not win the tournament in this first stage, but you can definitely lose it,” Finch said on India Today.
Finch explains the benefits of managing Abhishek’s recovery
India have just started their campaign, and the outcome of the Pakistan game will not affect their entry into the Super-8s. He also felt that Abhishek would be crucial to India’s campaign when they face tough opposition in the latter stages of the tournament and that they could manage Pakistan’s game without him.
He added, “And he is the most dangerous player in world cricket, so you want him to be fit and active. And if it means he has to take a few extra days’ rest, then I think that is something you would be absolutely prepared to do, no matter how big an India vs Pakistan match is on paper. You want your best players to be fit and healthy till the end of the tournament.”
However, it should be kept in mind that the Australian captain considers the India vs Pakistan match to be a matter of only 2 points; However, for players from these two countries, it is a matter of national pride and a rivalry between their millions of fans.
Also read: ‘Unwell’ Abhishek Sharma to be fielded against Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2026