Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has reportedly twisted his ankle during a training session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday evening. The injury scare now puts him at the risk of missing out on the XI for the second T20I on Saturday.
Sharma emerged as the finest batter for India in the opening T20I against England in Kolkata, where he slammed 79 off 34, with five fours and eight sixes. His aggressive and stroke-filled batting helped the hosts to seal the 133-run chase in less than 13 overs and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
As per the Indian Express, Abhishek Sharma twisted his right ankle during a warm-up routine. After being spotted grimacing in pain, the southpaw was attended to by the physio. Although, he returned to the nets after receiving assistance from the physio, he never came to bat. Sharma was also seen limping at the nets, signaling a little serious injury, which can’t be confirmed at the time of writing.
If Abhishek Sharma fails to make it to the XI, Tilak Varma could partner up with Sanju Samson in the opening slot. Notably, Varma is ranked third in the ICC T20I rankings for the batters.
Abhishek Sharma lauds Indian team’s enviroment
In the post-match press conference, Abhishek Sharma reserved praise for captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir for allowing the players to play their natural game. Further, the 24-year-old feels the Indian Premier League (IPL) has helped him to gain confidence in expressing himself to the fullest.
Here’s what Sharma said:
“I just wanted to express myself. A special mention to the captain and coach. They have given us a lot of freedom. The way they talk to youngsters, it’s tremendous. It was a double-paced wicket. Our bowlers bowled well, they were really good. I thought we would chase something around 160-170, but the bowlers bowled really well. We (other batters) were always talking to each other. I enjoy from the other end when Sanju is batting.”
“It’s about expressing myself. The plan was simple. IPL has helped me a lot. I haven’t seen a team environment like this. When it’s coming from the captain and coach, to play freely, it’s special. The way they (England pacers) bowled, I was ready for it. I knew they were going to bowl short,” he added.
It will be interesting to see whether Abhishek Sharma takes part in the second T20I, scheduled to be held on Saturday in Chennai.
