Abhishek Sharma Dropped: Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif, without even any hesitation, stated that Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav are considering dropping Abhishek Sharma ahead of the crucial game of the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8, Sunday. The left-handed batter didn’t look in form in the whole tournament, crossing the mark of 50 runs just once.
Abhishek Sharma Dropped
In the ongoing tournament it was also observed that Abhishek lost his wickets to spinners four times and even failed to perform in the powerplay. Throughout the tournament, Abhishek failed to impress and even failed to rotate the strike.
Before the start of the tournament, Abhishek fell ill and suffered from a stomach infection. He was hospitalized and even lost some weight. To some extent this has messed up a bit, and the batter didn’t look in confidence; against the West Indies, he also dropped two catches in the Super 8 clash.
Keeping all these things in mind, Mohammad Kaif stated that Abhishek Sharma should get dropped and Rinku Singh can be given a chance in the playing XI.
Kaif, on his YouTube channel, stated,
“India can give Abhishek Sharma a break. He has played many matches now. There is no harm in making changes. You can make changes in the shortest format. Roston Chase opened against India as Brandon King was out of form. They backed him for five or six matches, but they gave him a break for a big match. I believe that, like, you brought in Sanju, and he did a great job, so that change worked in your favor.”
Further, he said,
“India has proven players. Rinku Singh scores runs everywhere, be it Tests, Ranji Trophy, or the IPL. Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj also take wickets everywhere. When you look in the dugout to see who can replace Abhishek Sharma, you see Rinku Singh sitting there. So, bring him in. A guy is struggling, and another guy is sitting outside despite doing well.”
Difference Between Sanju Samson & Abhishek Sharma
Kaif didn’t stop here; he also highlighted the difference between Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, stating that Sanju is more experienced in playing World Cups, whereas Abhishek isn’t.
He said,
“The biggest difference between Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson is that Abhishek Sharma is still quite new to ICC events. He has a fantastic record if you leave ICC events aside. There is a big difference when playing in an ICC event like the World Cup.”
At the end, concluding his views, he said,
“Sanju has scored over 8000 runs in T20S. Be it the runs or six-hitting ability, his name comes in the top 10 in the IPL. He is already an established player. Abhishek Sharma is still young and has to work on his game. He is not a finished product. Don’t compare him with Sanju. Sanju is already a finished product. He made his India debut 11 years ago.”
Now it has to be seen whether Indian management will be making changes in the playing XI by dropping Abhishek Sharma or not.
Also Read : Bold or Risky? New Zealand’s Explosive Batter Refuses To Fear Jasprit Bumrah In T20 World Cup 2026 Final
