‘I was surprised’: Sunil Gavaskar on Abhishek Sharma’s rare defensive shot as opener silences critics

NEW DELHI: Former India captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar admitted he was taken aback — not by a six or a daring stroke — but by a defensive shot from Abhishek Sharma during India’s emphatic win over Zimbabwe in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

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Abhishek, who had endured a rough phase after returning from a stomach bug, roared back to form with a fluent 30-ball 55 in India’s 72-run victory on Thursday. The knock ended a worrying sequence of three consecutive ducks and came at a crucial time in the tournament.

“We know how good Abhishek Sharma is as a batter. He silenced his doubters with this knock of 55 runs against Zimbabwe,” Gavaskar said on JioStar.

What particularly caught the legendary batter’s attention, however, was not just the runs but the method.

“He took that extra time to start his innings. There was a method to his batting. He respected the off spinner, didn’t take any kind of risks and played in a calm and composed manner,” Gavaskar observed.

Then came the moment that surprised him most.

“In this game, he actually played a defensive shot. He defended the ball.

I was surprised to see that because we don’t usually see Abhishek do that,” Gavaskar added, underlining how rare such restraint is from the naturally aggressive opener.

For Gavaskar, the innings marked more than just a return to form — it signalled growth.

“I really think this is a learning curve for him. Every cricketer goes through a rough patch of not scoring runs in back-to-back games. It is about how much you learn from it,” he said. “I feel Abhishek has learned a lot and this will augur well for him going forward, in the next couple of games and the all-important clash against West Indies in Kolkata.”

Gavaskar also reflected on India’s tactical adjustments after a disappointing outing against South Africa.

“India were broken against South Africa. They realised they needed a right-left combination at the top. Learning from the previous game was very important,” he noted, praising the decision to bring Sanju Samson back to the opening spot.

Looking ahead to the virtual knockout against the West Indies, Gavaskar warned that India cannot afford complacency.

“West Indies is a completely different challenge. They cannot be taken for granted. Their batters are in top form. Their bowlers are doing well. They punish opposition mistakes,” he cautioned.