Suryakumar Yadav backs Abhishek Sharma despite lean patch ahead of Super Eight clash
India captain Suryakumar Yadav has thrown his full support behind Abhishek Sharma despite the opener’s string of low scores, insisting the team has no concerns about his form as they prepare to face South Africa national cricket team in the Super Eight stage in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Abhishek has endured a tough run at the top of the order, registering three ducks in the tournament so far. But Suryakumar brushed aside suggestions of panic, instead warning opposition teams to be wary of what could follow once the left-hander finds his rhythm.
“I worry for the people worried about Abhishek’s form,” Suryakumar said with a smile. “Why are they so worried? I think about the teams who are going to play against him. He hasn’t scored yet — and when he does, you’ve seen what happens.”
The skipper emphasized that fluctuations are part of the game and reiterated the team’s faith in Abhishek’s attacking approach.
“It happens; it’s a team sport. The requirement from the team is that he plays with his identity. If it comes off, great. If it doesn’t, we are there to cover for him. Last year he covered for us, now we will cover for him.”
No rethink despite left-handed heavy line-up
India’s top order features six left-handers in the top eight, a composition that has invited tactical adjustments from opponents, particularly through the increased use of offspin. However, Suryakumar dismissed the idea of altering the XI purely on that basis.
When asked whether Sanju Samson could replace Abhishek, Suryakumar responded light-heartedly, even joking about reshuffling the order to accommodate him at No. 3 ahead of Tilak Varma.
“It’s going well in the powerplay. We’re still making 40-50 runs. We expect ourselves to score 220, 240, 250, but the wickets here are a little different,” he said, noting that surfaces have become more conducive to spin as the tournament has progressed.
“The four wickets we’ve played on were challenging. Offspinners weren’t bowling earlier but they are now. We’ve started preparing for that and hopefully we’ll tackle it as we begin our Super Eight journey.”
Clear role defined for Tilak
Suryakumar also clarified Tilak Varma’s role at No. 3. Though striking at 120.45 in the tournament, Tilak has been tasked with adapting to match situations rather than playing with complete freedom.
“If one wicket is down, he can go and play his natural game in the powerplay. But if two wickets are down, he has to take a bit of a backseat, build a partnership and get us to the 10th over. After that, we have enough firepower,” Suryakumar explained.
While acknowledging that Tilak himself might not be entirely satisfied with his returns, the captain expressed unwavering confidence in the youngster’s ability.
“He has delivered for India at No. 3 really well, and I’m very confident he will do it better.”
Managing pressure at home
With India playing a major global tournament on home soil, expectations have been unavoidable. Suryakumar admitted that the constant reminders — from hotel lobby conversations to travelling fans urging them to “bring the Cup home” — add to the pressure.
“It’s difficult to say there’s no pressure. When you’re playing such a big event at home, you definitely feel it. You can’t run away from it,” he said. “But every individual has a plan to deal with it. We’re trying to keep it simple.”
India’s early scare against the USA served as what Suryakumar described as a “wake-up call.” Since then, the team has adopted a measured, step-by-step approach rather than looking too far ahead.
Addressing concerns about maintaining their unbeaten momentum and the possibility of facing must-win scenarios later, the captain remained composed.
“We don’t think about it that much. We’ve won many games, but that’s history now. The more we stay in the present, the better it works.”
As India enter the Super Eight stage, the message from their captain is clear: trust the process, back the players, and focus only on the next step.