Ahmedabad, Feb 20 What's causing Abhishek Sharma's slump in the ongoing T20 World Cup? Is it the challenging pitches, his inability to consistently find the boundary, or the difficulty he's facing against quality spinners?
Abhishek Sharma's struggles in the T20 World Cup are a major talking point, especially given India's impressive campaign despite his three consecutive ducks. However, those who have closely followed the format and the player believe that "form is temporary, but confidence is permanent," and a big score is just around the corner in the Super Eight stage.
Abhishek's recent return to competitive cricket after a short hospitalisation might also be a factor. The slow pitches have also presented challenges.
The team has successfully maintained its winning momentum, but with the Super Eights starting on Saturday, it will be crucial for Abhishek to find his rhythm. India will play South Africa on February 23 in their opening match of the stage.
Proteas captain Aiden Markram might try to bowl his fast off-spinners inside the Powerplay or ask his slow left-arm orthodox bowler, George Linde, to maintain a tight line, rather than starting with Kagiso Rabada or Lungi Ngidi from both ends.
With the margin for error extremely small in this format, the gap between established cricketing nations and the "minnows" has narrowed considerably.
Therefore, Abhishek's inability to get off to a good start in the T20 World Cup isn't necessarily a cause for concern.
He could well rediscover his rhythm in the match against South Africa, or the game against Zimbabwe in Chennai, or even the match against the West Indies in Kolkata.
In the first league game, USA quick Ali Khan set a trap by placing a deep cover for his favoured lofted cover drive.
Subsequently, off-spinners Salman Ali Agha and Aryan Dutt dismissed the prolific left-handed batsman during a difficult period.
However, it's perhaps the off-spin that's proving to be Abhishek's biggest challenge.
The slow surfaces at Wankhede, Colombo, and Motera have been particularly problematic.
A noted IPL franchise batting coach, who has analyzed and devised game plans against Abhishek during the league, has clarified the situation.
When asked if teams have finally decoded Abhishek's batting, the coach responded that "not at all."
"No, not at all. The dismissal at deep extra cover (in the first game) was due to a bad ball that could have gone for six, or been missed by the fielder by a foot, resulting in four runs," the coach said, while assessing all three dismissals.
"Being bowled over by an incoming ball from the off-spinner, rather than a ball that turns away, doesn't necessarily indicate a problem," he added.
He also indicated that prior to these dismissals, there is no data to suggest that off-spinners have consistently troubled him.
"He normally plays off-spin quite well. I haven't noticed anything unusual," the coach said.
However, the slow nature of the pitches could be his undoing, given his expansive bat swing, which has been successful on pace-friendly tracks.
Any good batting coach will tell you that "pace-off deliveries" – slower bouncers, cutters, and knuckle balls – are always a challenge for a player like Abhishek, who possesses a deep bat swing and prefers to attack the ball relentlessly.
For Abhishek, this is the first phase of his international career where he is facing sustained challenges.
Understandably, there has been some self-doubt and superstition, evident in him wearing the jerseys of Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj, perhaps in a bid to invite some luck.
This is where batting coach Sitanshu Kotak's role becomes crucial.
In a format like T20, where there is very little time between matches, the lack of turnaround time gives a player little opportunity to reboot emotionally, and sometimes, the pressure of failure can be overwhelming.
Given Abhishek's confident persona, he is not someone who will be easily shaken by a few disappointments. However, he will know that a significant part of India's T20 World Cup campaign hinges on the starts that he provides.
A small statistical nugget might help him in case he needs inspiration.
The legendary Sachin Tendulkar was once dismissed for three consecutive ducks, followed by an eight in ODIs back in 1994 across the Singer Cup and a tri-nation series. In the fifth match, the 'Little Master' smashed 115 against New Zealand and the tide turned dramatically. Abhishek would look to be in that elite company and make a strong comeback.