(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
As India gears up for a crucial Super Four clash against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup, assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate has nothing but praise for opener Abhishek Sharma’s bold T20 batting style. He calls it “fearless,” but stresses that Sharma backs it up with serious skills that make it work on the field.
Sharma shone in India’s recent Super Four opener against Pakistan, smashing 74 runs off just 39 balls. His 105-run partnership with vice-captain Shubman Gill helped India chase down the target and win by six wickets. Before that, Sharma’s explosive starts in the powerplay gave India the edge they needed. Right now, he’s the tournament’s top scorer with 173 runs in four matches, boasting an average of 43.25 and a stunning strike rate of 208.43—including one half-century.
During a pre-match press conference in Dubai, Doeschate explained why Sharma stands out. “Fearless is the right word, but don’t forget it’s backed by an incredible amount of skill,” he said. “You can be fearless without the tools, but he has both. The leadership—from skipper Suryakumar Yadav and the coaches—just tells him to keep it up.”
Doeschate added that the team wants Sharma to stick to his process, even if not every game will be a home run. “He’s not going to succeed every time—it’s impossible with the aggressive cricket he plays—but we want him to keep going that way and practice like that,” he noted. The coach also highlighted Sharma’s dedication: he pushes 100% in practice sessions.
Off the field, Sharma keeps things chill. “He’s a relaxed guy who doesn’t talk much, but he loves batting and swinging the bat hard,” Doeschate said. “That vibe fits perfectly with what we’re building for T20 cricket.”
Sharma’s form this year has been on fire in T20Is too. He’s racked up 452 runs in nine innings, with an average of 50.22 and a strike rate of 215.23. That includes one century and two fifties, proving he’s a key player for India as they chase Asia Cup glory.
India’s squad for the match: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (w), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma.
Bangladesh’s squad: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Litton Das (w/c), Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Nurul Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Rishad Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
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