Gavaskar dismissed concerns over India’s batting ahead of the Asia Cup final, stressing the team has ample firepower even if Abhishek Sharma doesn’t score big.
Gavaskar Backs Abhishek Sharma Amid Asia Cup Final Hype
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar brushed aside concerns about the law of averages catching up with Abhishek Sharma, backing the in-form left-hander to continue his dominant run in the Asia Cup final. The swashbuckling opener has scored half-centuries in three consecutive matches and sits atop the run charts, becoming the only player in T20 Asia Cup history to surpass 300 runs.
Abhishek’s batting has been a standout in the tournament, effortlessly dismantling opposition attacks. While many Indian batters have struggled for rhythm, he has dominated the powerplay overs, striking boundaries at will and giving India explosive starts that have tilted games in their favour.
Gavaskar also downplayed concerns over India’s batting lineup ahead of the final, highlighting the depth and firepower still available. He backed Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, and Shubman Gill to step up, stressing that big scores could come from any of them.
“There are several key players who can make a difference. Suryakumar Yadav is due for runs, as are Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, and Hardik Pandya. Shubman Gill has batted well but hasn’t yet delivered the big scores we’ve come to expect from him recently. There’s plenty of batting firepower left, so there’s no need to be overly concerned,” Gavaskar said on India Today.
“Abhishek Sharma won’t let opportunities slip by”
Former batting great Sunil Gavaskar expressed confidence that Abhishek Sharma won’t let the Asia Cup final slip by, backing him to push for a century after narrowly missing out earlier in the tournament.
“Abhishek Sharma, in particular, won’t let opportunities slip by. He’s been in good form with three half-centuries and, despite an unfortunate run-out that cost him a potential century, he’s likely to aim for another big innings—possibly even a three-figure score,” Gavaskar said.
Meanwhile, India faced some fitness concerns ahead of the final. Hardik Pandya’s hamstring scare against Sri Lanka forced him off after just one over, and Abhishek Sharma also cramped up under the punishing Gulf heat. However, team physio Morkel reassured fans: “Hardik will be assessed tomorrow morning. Both him and Abhishek suffered cramps. But Abhishek is fine,” he confirmed on Friday night.