T20 World Cup 2026: Backing Abhishek Sharma – Why Gautam Gambhir Is Key to Ending the Slump

 

Gautam Gambhir with Abhishek Sharma during India’s practice session. Image :X

The focus is singularly on Abhishek Sharma as India take on South Africa in Ahmedabad. Three consecutive ducks, and it could very well become a mental thing for the aggressive opener leading into the Super 8 stage. Each one of us is human and failure is bound to impact you mentally. That’s where self-doubt creeps in. You start to ask questions of yourself and begin overthinking. It is very natural for anyone to do so. Social media doesn’t help, for it gives poison a platform. People are always baying for your blood, and the negatives on social media far outweigh the positives.

This is where Abhishek needs Gautam Gambhir the most. Gambhir went through a similar slump during the 2014 IPL as skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). By his own admission, it was one of the worst moments of his career and it also made him insecure.

Sample this from him: “That’s when I felt pressure. When I was out for three consecutive ducks, I started to doubt my own ability. That’s pressure. I did not feel pressure in 2007 during the World T20 final or in 2011, for I was going into games with runs behind my belt. In 2014, it was different. People were speaking about my form and I said to them there is no way you can judge, for I was getting out in the first few balls itself.

“Thereafter, I remember telling Manish Pandey to go up the order, for he was scoring some good runs, while I dropped myself to number three. Manish was out for a duck and I was out for one in that game. That’s when I realised my mistake and promised myself I would never do this again — never push a colleague forward to protect myself — and in the next game I was back to opening the batting. I hit Kane Richardson for four off the first ball and went on to make a 50. That’s when things changed. I scored multiple consecutive fifties and went on to win the IPL for KKR.”

This is why I think Gautam is the best man to help Abhishek at the moment. As his head coach, and as someone who has played a major role in Abhishek’s ascent as one of the best players going around, Gautam is someone Abhishek looks up to. Gautam’s example should help him. It is evidence that he isn’t alone in this predicament and that it has happened to the best in the past as well.

All he needs to do is back himself and be smart. If that means playing a few dot balls, so be it. If that means allowing Ishan to take first strike, so be it. Sport is not about ego, and all Abhishek needs to do at the moment is acknowledge and accept it. He is far too good a player to keep missing out. With Gautam around, he will have the best support in the changing room and, chances are, will come good in the game against South Africa tonight. Wishing the young man all the best.

also read Abhishek Sharma must trust in the method that made him India’s T20 batting talisman

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The post T20 World Cup 2026: Backing Abhishek Sharma – Why Gautam Gambhir Is Key to Ending the Slump appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.



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