Former India cricketer Parthiv Patel lauded Abhishek Sharma's fearless batting approach even though eh got dismissed cheaply for 19 runs against Australia in the first T20I of the five-match series. Abhishek scored four boundaries during his short stay at the crease and was seen advancing down the pitch multiple times without any hesitation. He was eventually dismissed by Nathan Ellis in the fourth over.
Patel on Abhishek's batting approach
Despite Abhishek failing to contribute much in the batting department, Patel lavished praise on the opener for consistently batting fearlessly and not letting opposing bowlers settle. He further pointed out how the approach has proved to be quite successful for the 25-year-old and has helped him become the No.1 ranked T20I batter in the world.
“The trailer showed how the picture is going to be. He (Abhishek) has decided that he will bat with this kind of approach only, and he should as well because he has become the world’s No. 1 batter by playing like this only. He has been batting with such consistency while playing like this," Patel said on Star Sports.
Patel further highlighted that Abhishek plays with his attacking mindset regardless of the conditions and is still able to dominate over opposing bowlers. He also remarked that the opener will not be seen losing his wicket while trying to play defensively.
“You need to make a little adjustment for sure when you go and play in a new country. You need to get used to the bounce and pace. Since Abhishek plays with a fearless approach, you will see positivity every time. You played freely even though you came to Australia for the first time. You will never see Abhishek Sharma getting out while defending. He will get out playing big shots only," Patel stated.
The first T20I gets abandoned
Meanwhile, the first T20I of the series between India and Australia ended up being abandoned due to persistent rain. After Abhishek's dismissal, the duo of Shubman Gill (37*) and Suryakumar Yadav (39*) formed a strong 62-run stand and both looked set to score big. However, the weather ended up having the final say as India's total remained on 97/1 after 9.4 overs and the game was called off. Both teams will now be hoping to get a positive result in the second T20I that will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 31.