Follow UsFormer India cricketer Aakash Chopra feels Abhishek Sharma will have to turn up and score runs in the five-match T20I series against England, starting on January 22 (Wednesday), if he wants to keep Yashasvi Jaiswal out of the set-up.
Jaiswal, who had a busy yet stunning 2024, hasn’t been picked for the T20I series and instead will be featuring in Mumbai’s next Ranji Trophy fixture against Jammu and Kashmir. The left-handed batter, however, is part of India’s squad for the following ODI series against England and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Jaiswal has done extremely well in the limited opportunities he has received in the 20-over format for India. The opener has 723 runs in 22 T20I innings at an average of 36.15 and a strike rate of 164.31. Jaiswal has also been a consistent performer for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Meanwhile, Abhishek has blown hot and cold in the 12 T20Is he has played so far. The 24-year-old smashed a century in his second T20I but registered scores of less than 20 in his next seven innings. Abhishek did slam 50 off 25 and 36 off 18 in his last two T20Is in South Africa but will have to be more consistent to keep someone like Jaiswal out of the team.
"Abhishek Sharma has been given a vote of confidence, which I liked, as he has been kept with the team. However, he was hanging by a thin thread. Let's be fair, Yashasvi Jaiswal won't let him breathe. He is breathing down his neck and it's absolutely right," said Chopra on his YouTube channel.
“Short balls are troubling him and short bowling will be done to him here also. Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson are there, and they are all going to bowl bouncers. Jamie Overton is also a tall bowler. So all of them will try to trouble you with short balls. That's when I feel he will have to find a different way.
“The team's philosophy has become that they will hit. However, if you have two bad innings while trying to hit, the story will change completely. It seems like Abhishek might get all five games as the selectors haven't picked a third opener. However, it doesn't take time for things to change in Indian cricket these days. So there will be immense pressure on Abhishek Sharma.”
Chopra said he would have liked Jaiswal to be part of the Indian team for the England T20Is. “He is also a left-hander who plays similarly. He is a three-format player and is in form currently. After some time, you might start thinking as an Indian fan that he won't get a chance in ODIs as Shubman (Gill) and Rohit (Sharma) will open, and then what cricket would he have played when he goes for the Champions Trophy?
"Only Ranji Trophy, that's not a great story. If you see from that angle, this is a massive opportunity for Abhishek. He hasn't made the most of his opportunities thus far. The century he scored in Zimbabwe was excellent. Then he played one good knock in South Africa.”