3 min readUpdated: Mar 8, 2026 12:11 PM IST
India legend Sunil Gavaskar made a huge remark on opener Abhishek Sharma, insisting that the team management should drop him for the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening. Entering the World Cup as the world’s no. 1 T20I batter, Abhishek has endured a wretched run of form. The dashing southpaw only has a solitary half-century against Zimbabwe to show, aggregating only 89 runs in six innings in the tournament.
The Punjab batter who has pulverised oppositions for nearly all of the last 18 months with jaw-dropping strike rates has only scored with a meagre 100 strike rate throughout this World Cup. Four of his six dismissals have come cheaply against the spinners and Gavaskar has suggested that India drop the out-of-sorts batter for the final and instead open the batting with Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan.
Besides the poor form, Gavaskar noted that Abhishek has struggled to recalibrate his approach.
“It’s a very tough call. Abhishek Sharma is the No. 1 batter in the ICC T20 rankings, but he hasn’t learned from his dismissals. He keeps getting out in the same region where his arms are cramped for room. Bowlers are targeting that area and forcing mistakes. My concern is that he either hasn’t adjusted yet or is unable to change his approach,” Gavaskar told India Today.
Gavaskar hinted that India could instead reinforce their lower-order batting and rope in Rinku Singh for the high-stakes contest. “I would like to see Ishan Kishan open the batting with Sanju Samson, with Rinku Singh coming into the side. Rinku has that belief—you’ve probably seen the ‘God’s Plan’ tattoo on his body—and sometimes things just work out for players like him,” remarked Gavaskar.
Kuldeep for Varun?
Gavaskar also suggested that India could drop their X-factor spinner Varun Chakaravarthy who has blown hot and cold since the Super 8s. The former India captain said that veteran spinner Kuldeep Yadav could take Chakaravarthy’s spot in the final.
“The other change I would consider is bringing in Kuldeep Yadav. Varun Chakravarthy’s confidence looks shattered at the moment. Since the Super Eight stage, when he faced stronger teams, he has struggled and conceded a lot of runs. At a ground like the Narendra Modi Stadium, with big boundaries, Kuldeep Yadav could be a good option because he can turn the ball even on flat surfaces,” said Gavaskar.
