All-rounder Abhishek Sharma has raised concerns ahead of the second India-England T20I in Chennai after twisting his ankle during practice. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) yet to provide an official update, it remains unclear if Sharma will be fit for the match. If Sharma is ruled out, wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson may have a new opening partner.
According to a report from The Indian Express, Sharma injured his ankle during warm-up on the eve of the match. After being attended to by the team physio, the 24-year-old was seen limping at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Unfortunately, the injury prevented him from batting during Friday’s practice session. Sharma had an impressive performance in the first T20I at Eden Gardens, scoring 79 off 34 balls with five fours and eight sixes at a strike rate of 232.35, leading India to a comfortable victory.
If Sharma is unavailable, all-rounder Washington Sundar is the most likely replacement. While Sundar has limited experience opening in international cricket, having batted just once in this role against Australia in an ODI, he has done so for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket. However, his batting average and strike rate in this position were lower.
Alternatively, India may opt for wicket-keeper batter Dhruv Jurel, though he has not yet opened the batting in international cricket. Jurel’s only experience at the top came during a domestic match for Uttar Pradesh four years ago.
Leave a Reply