India may have completed a comfortable 3-0 clean sweep over Zimbabwe in the recently concluded T20I series, but the struggles of Abhishek Sharma with the bat have emerged as one of the biggest talking points. The aggressive left-handed opener endured a forgettable campaign, failing to make an impact despite getting multiple opportunities at the top of the order. Following the series, former India captain Kris Srikkanth expressed concern over Abhishek’s form and suggested that the selectors might now have to make a difficult selection call ahead of India’s upcoming assignments.

Kris Srikkanth wants selectors to make a tough decision on Abhishek Sharma

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth stated that opposition teams have now figured out a clear plan against Abhishek Sharma, making it increasingly difficult for the youngster to replicate the fearless batting that earned him a regular place in India’s T20I setup. The former opener believes the time has come for the selectors to take a hard call if the inconsistent run continues.

Srikkanth also backed Sanju Samson for a return to the Indian T20I side, pointing out that the wicketkeeper-batter himself was dropped after just a handful of disappointing performances. According to him, the same standards should apply to every player.

“Abhishek Sharma has been sorted out in international cricket, right from the World Cup. I think a tough call has to be taken against him now. I feel Sanju will get his chance again now. He will receive a call back 100%. The selectors will have to take a tough call,” Srikkanth said.

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Abhishek’s recent struggles raise questions over his place

Abhishek’s poor Zimbabwe series only extended a worrying run of form. Across the three matches, he managed just 11 runs at an average of 3.66 and a strike rate of 55.00, never looking settled at the crease.

His overall numbers over recent months also highlight the inconsistency. Since the Ireland series, the left-hander has produced only three notable scores, while his last ten T20I innings read: 2, 8, 1, 3, 16, 10, 43, 59, 0 and 49. More concerning is that his highest score in his last five innings has been just 16, suggesting that bowlers have begun exploiting a consistent weakness in his game.

Interestingly, Srikkanth had voiced similar concerns even before the third T20I against Zimbabwe, urging Abhishek to find different methods of scoring runs instead of relying solely on his attacking approach. With India’s batting competition becoming increasingly fierce, the selectors now face an important decision regarding whether to persist with the youngster or hand another opportunity to an experienced campaigner like Samson.

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