Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has expressed concern over the technique of young opener Abhishek Sharma in the T20 World Cup 2026. Kaif warned that opposition teams are targeting youngsters with well-planned plans, adding that similar repeated dismissals have become a serious issue for India.
The left-handed batsman has struggled in the T20 World Cup 2026. They faced a hat-trick of ducks during the group stage. Sharma scored 15 runs from 12 balls in India’s 78-run defeat against South Africa in Ahmedabad on Sunday, 22 February. South Africa also ended Team India’s 12-match unbeaten streak in the T20 World Cup.
Opposition teams are coming with good preparation – Mohammad Kaif on Abhishek Sharma
In the video shared on his YouTube channel, Mohammad Kaif said that the opposition teams have found the weakness in Abhishek Sharma’s batting. Kaif said that getting out early once is not a matter of concern, but the way Abhishek is getting out in many matches is worrying.
“The opposition teams are coming with good preparation. They are not giving them pace. In this match it was the knuckle ball. I am worried about their technique against the slower ball,” Kaif said.
He said, “I have no problem with his getting out in the first match. However, the way he got out in the other matches exposed his technique.”
India will next face Zimbabwe in their Super 8 match on Thursday, February 26 in Chennai. After a poor performance in the first games, Abhishek’s form will be closely monitored as his contribution could be crucial for the Blue team in their race to the semi-finals.
Virat Kohli was a flop in the World Cup – Mohammad Kaif
The former Indian cricketer said that Abhishek should change his game after continuous poor performances. Kaif recalled that Virat Kohli had struggled in the T20 World Cup 2024 before changing his mindset in the final.
Kaif said, “He is such a capable and aggressive batsman. It is sad to see how he has started. There is no bigger example than Virat Kohli. He flopped in the World Cup.”
“He came back by changing his game. He played with a strike rate of 150 in the IPL and tried to do the same in the World Cup. So, he changed his game in the final, which is not an easy thing to do.”
Abhishek Sharma breaking the ball into two pieces in the bilateral – Mohammad Kaif
In the same video, Mohammad Kaif said that Abhishek Sharma looked in excellent form during the bilateral T20I series ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, but added that ICC tournaments bring a very different level of pressure.
“There is a huge difference between the World Cup and bilateral matches. Abhishek Sharma breaks the ball in two in bilaterals, his ball doesn’t work yet. (Abhishek Sharma used to break balls in two, but he is yet to fire here). The publicity and spotlight are different here. So there is extra pressure there.”
Kaif also said that India’s 12-match unbeaten streak in the T20 World Cup has ended and it should not be linked to the current setup. He said those wins came under a different captain and coach and past statistics should not distract from the current challenges.
“People are showing statistics and saying that we won 12 consecutive matches. These are just statistics. Someone else won that match. Someone else was the captain, someone else was the coach.”
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