India’s veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has opined that India must be prepared, as Abhishek Sharma is expected to get dismissed cheaply in the T20 World Cup on some occasions. Sharma bagged a golden duck in the fourth T20I against New Zealand at Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
The Indian opener is known to play with a high-risk approach and there will be times when he will be dismissed early in the innings. In the opening T20I, Sharma returned with 84 runs off just 35 balls, whereas he scored a blistering knock of 68 runs off 20 balls in the third game.
Rahane said Sharma will be a match-winner when he gets going on his day but there will be a time when he gets dismissed cheaply.
Ajinkya Rahane said on Cricbuzz, “With Abhishek Sharma, it’s going to happen. He plays that high-risk game. When it does pay off, he’ll be a match-winner. Let’s think that he is going to get out on 0, probably first ball, this will happen in the World Cup. The Indian batting lineup is not dependent on Abhishek Sharma. Collectively, they are all really good.”
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya didn’t even bowl a solitary over in the fourth T20I and Rahane said the all-rounder lacked confidence with the bat after he was not given the ball by Suryakumar Yadav.
He added, “When you want Hardik in the game, his bowling becomes really crucial, especially when we bowl first. Then his confidence into the batting is completely different. He didn’t look like a normal Hardik today. The intent was there, but I’ve seen with many all-rounders that if they don’t bowl when they’re bowling first, when they go on to bat, they’re completely different players.”
The former Indian captain said he would like to see vice-captain Axar Patel return to the team’s playing XI in the fifth T20I if he has recovered from finger injury.
Rahane concluded, “I think they will go with eight batters. I would love to see Axar Patel, if he is fit, getting into the playing XI. Basically, the team which they played in the first game, go with that combination.”
The fifth and final T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Thiruvanthapuram on Saturday.
