India's destructive opener Abhishek Sharma is currently on the road to recovery from a stomach bug, which forced him to miss the team's second group stage clash against Namibia. The southpaw's fitness is one of the major concerns for the Men in Blue in the T20 World Cup 2026 consedaring his performance in the shortest format of the game.
Finch advised not to take the risk of including Abhishek Sharma
Notably, the southpaw had a viral fever and a stomach infection that required a brief hospital stay earlier in the week. The illness also led to noticeable weight loss, considering his importance during the Super 8 and decisive stages of the tournament, Australia's World Cup-winning captain, Aaron Finch, advised Indian management not to rush Abhishek, despite India are facing Pakistan in their third T20 World Cup clash in Colombo.
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“No, they’re stacked enough, no doubt about that. Sanju at the top, he got off to a flyer last night, along with Ishan. As big as the game is, I think India would have their eye on the Super 8s, the semi-final, and the final. So, to me, if Abhishek is still under the weather and you don’t want to take a risk, that’s totally fine, because you understand that you can’t win the tournament in this first phase, but you can certainly lose it," Finch was quoted as saying on India Today.
Why India should not rush Abhishek Sharma
Finch, who guided Australia to their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2021, believes that the team need their best players when they are reaching the final stages of the tournament.
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"And he’s the most damaging player in world cricket, so you want him fit and firing. And if that means he has to take a couple of extra days of rest, then I think that’s something you would absolutely be prepared to do, regardless of how big the India versus Pakistan match is on paper. You want your best players fit and healthy when the business end of the tournament comes around," he added.
Will Abhishek Sharma feature in India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 clash?
Abhishek Sharma has travelled to Colombo alongside Team India, but the management is yet to decide on his inclusion in India's T20 World Cup 2026 playing XI against Pakistan, which will take place on February 15. His parents have also arrived in Colombo ahead of the tournament's high-voltage clash.