India opener Abhishek Sharma’s disappointing run of form has sparked fresh debate over his place in the T20I side, with former India selector Kris Srikkanth and batter Hanuma Vihari calling for Sanju Samson to be given another opportunity.
Abhishek struggled throughout India’s recently concluded three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, failing to make a significant contribution in any of the matches. Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani consistently troubled the left-hander with pace and bounce, extending a lean patch that also included underwhelming performances in earlier series against England and Ireland.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said international bowlers have begun to understand Abhishek’s approach and suggested the selectors may need to make a difficult decision.
According to the former chief selector, Sanju Samson is likely to return to the squad soon. He argued that the time had come for the team management to reassess its options after Abhishek’s prolonged dip in form.
The numbers underline the concern. Across his last 10 T20I innings, Abhishek has scored only 191 runs, including just one half-century. More worryingly, he has been dismissed for single-digit scores in each of his last four innings.
Former India batter Hanuma Vihari also questioned the consistency of the selection policy. He pointed out that Samson had previously lost his place after a brief run of poor scores but later returned to play a decisive role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph with three consecutive match-winning fifties.
Vihari argued that Abhishek has continued to receive extended backing despite modest returns, highlighting that apart from one fifty during the United Kingdom tour, the opener has failed to produce impactful innings. He maintained that if inconsistency is used as a criterion against Samson, the same standard should apply to every player.
The debate is expected to intensify ahead of India’s next T20 assignment, with selectors set to weigh current form against long-term potential while finalising the batting lineup.
