Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has suggested that India rethink their playing XI for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final, recommending that out-of-form opener Abhishek Sharma be left out of the lineup. The highly anticipated final is set to take place at Narendra Modi Stadium where India will face the New Zealand national cricket team.
Gavaskar expressed concern about Abhishek Sharma’s recent performances during the tournament. Despite entering the competition as one of the top-ranked T20 batters, the 25-year-old has struggled to find consistency. Across the tournament he has managed only 89 runs with an average slightly above 12, including three dismissals without scoring.
According to Gavaskar, Sharma’s repeated dismissals suggest he has not yet adapted his approach at the crease. Bowlers have consistently targeted the same area forcing errors, particularly with deliveries that restrict his shot-making space. The former captain believes the batter needs time to reassess his strategy rather than continuing under pressure in a major final.
During the semi final clash against England national cricket team Sharma was dismissed early after falling to spinner Will Jacks in only the second over after scoring nine runs. The dismissal further highlighted concerns about his aggressive approach against spin bowling early in the innings.
Gavaskar proposed an alternative batting combination for the final. He suggested that Ishan Kishan should open the innings alongside Sanju Samson while Rinku Singh could be brought into the middle order to strengthen the batting lineup.
The former captain also commented on India’s bowling options. He noted that spinner Varun Chakravarthy has struggled since the Super Eight stage and suggested that the team management might consider bringing in Kuldeep Yadav for the final. Gavaskar believes Kuldeep’s ability to generate spin even on flat pitches could prove valuable at the large boundaries of the Narendra Modi Stadium.
As India prepares for the high stakes final the team management led by head coach Gautam Gambhir will need to decide whether to stick with the current lineup or make key changes in pursuit of the T20 World Cup title.