Abhishek Sharma’s poor form continued in the first T20I against South Africa, where he was out for just 7 runs. Struggling to make his mark in the opening slot as South African pacer Gerald Coetzee took his wicket in the IND vs SA 1st T20I. This latest failure adds to a series of disappointing performances, showing serious concerns about his consistency in the Indian team.
Abhishek Sharma got out to Gerald Coetzee in the 3.1 over. Coetzee bowled a full delivery just outside off stump. Abhishek attempted to take it on and hit it over mid-off, but the ball bounced higher than he expected. He ended up getting an awkward connection on his bat, which resulted in a high shot. The ball was caught by Aiden Markram, who ran back from mid-off and took a sharp catch.
Recent disappointments in Emerging Asia Cup
Sharma’s dip in form is not limited to his T20I appearances against South Africa. In the recent Emerging Asia Cup, his performances were far from impressive. In four matches, his scores were 7, 34, 58, and 35, which failed to leave a mark.
Poor performance against Bangladesh
Last month, Sharma also faced disappointment in India’s T20I series against Bangladesh. His batting efforts were not good, with scores of just 4, 15, and 16 in three matches. His failure only adds to the pressure on him to rediscover his form.
Pressure mounts for both Abhishek and SRH ahead of IPL 2025
Despite his recent struggles, Sharma has been retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the upcoming IPL 2025 season, on the basis of his remarkable performance in the last season for a hefty Rs. 14 crore. The franchise has high expectations from him, and there is now added pressure on Sharma to perform well in the coming matches.
Abhishek Sharma’s last 10 innings for India and India A
| Vs | Score |
| South Africa | 7 runs |
| Afghanistan A | 7 runs |
| Oman | 34 runs |
| UAE | 58 runs |
| Shaheens (Pakistan A) | 35 runs |
| Bangladesh | 4 runs |
| Bangladesh | 15 runs |
| Bangladesh | 16 runs |
| Zimbabwe | 14 runs |
| Zimbabwe | DNB |
| Zimbabwe | 10 runs |
Abhishek Sharma in T20Is
- 0(4) vs Zimbabwe
- 100(47) vs Zimbabwe
- 10(9) vs Zimbabwe
- 14(11) vs Zimbabwe
- 16(7) vs Bangladesh
- 15(11) vs Bangladesh
- 4(4) vs Bangladesh
- 7(8) vs South Africa
