T20 World Cup 2026: ‘Just don’t practice’ – Former India speedster suggests how Abhishek Sharma can end lean run

Abhishek Sharma has had a nightmarish start to the T20 World Cup 2026. The top-ranked batter in the format has played three games for India and been dismissed for three ducks. Ahead of the Super 8s, a major talking point has been Abhishek’s worrying as India gear up to face South Africa on Sunday, February 22, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Former India pacer Varun Aaron urged the team management to keep Abhishek in a good headspace. He added that even if Abhishek skips batting in a practice session or two, it won’t harm him. Aaron opined that the Punjab batter should back his instincts instead of worrying about what has happened earlier in the campaign.

“In a tournament, within a tournament, you can’t make any technical changes. You don’t want to get into that zone as a batsman or a bowler because that completely shifts your mind from what you have to do in front of you to what you’re doing. You don’t want to be in that space at all. All you have to do is keep him in a good head space, have a good chat with him, maybe sometimes just don’t practice, just go there, trust your instincts and play. And that’s what he’s been doing. If you talk about the first game against the USA, that was a brilliant shot, went straight to the fielder. After that, obviously, he’s gotten out to off spin,” Aaron said during a discussion on ESPNcricinfo on Friday, February 20.

Abhishek experienced a stomach-related illness after the first game against the USA and had to visit the hospital. Aaron stated that sometimes injury or sickness disrupts a player’s rhythm. The cricketer-turned-expert also suggested that Abhishek should do the off-the-field things he likes.

“Over the past year, he’s been smashing off spin, leg spin, left arm spin, fast bowling, everything. So, and it’s not because of any technical change. He’s also come out from a sickness. Sometimes cricket’s a really funny game. A small incident like an injury or a sickness can just change your rhythm. And sometimes if you just get too deep into your game instead of just being in a good mind space, that might hamper you. And I think he should just get back to doing things off the field that he likes doing, and I’m sure things will work out on the field for him,” he added.

India and South Africa are unbeaten so far in the tournament. Both teams won four matches each in their respective groups. The West Indies and Zimbabwe are the other two teams they are pitted with in Group 1 in the Super 8.