‘Stop Attacking Blindly’: Faf du Plessis identifies one tactical error costing Abhishek Sharma at T20 WC
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Stop Attacking Blindly’: Faf du Plessis identifies one tactical error costing Abhishek Sharma at T20 WC")
Faf du Plessis identifies one tactical error costing Abhishek Sharma at T20 WC Photograph: (Others)
Is reckless intent costing Abhishek Sharma? Faf du Plessis identifies the "tactical error" behind the opener's T20 World Cup slump and urges a smarter approach ahead of the Zimbabwe clash.
It’s not only India that faces a do-or-die situation on Thursday in the T20 World Cup, but perhaps its attacking opener Abhishek Sharma too, who hasn’t yet clicked in his maiden ICC event. While he remains confident to deploy his natural game despite getting out on a zero thrice thus far in this competition, South African legend Faf du Plessis warned him against playing into the opposition’s hands. Having tasted tremendous success at the top himself, Faf urged the ranked number one T20I batter to stop attacking impulsively and instead be smarter with his shot selection.
Thrice in four innings, Abhishek got out playing an attacking shot; even though he either missed or miscued most deliveries he got out to, he timed one to perfection against the USA, only for the deep cover fielder to grab it successfully. That dismissal, however, indicated how the oppositions have begun to realise Abhishek’s shot range and his dismissal areas.
"Tactically, the game has got so smart with analysts and the way that they are trying to get you out," du Plessis said on ESPNcricinfo Timeout. "What I've picked up of late with Abhishek is people are now putting a deep point out and a deep extra cover out because he's so good at hitting the ball through the offside.
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Du Plessis has urged Abhishek to make up his mind about either backing his strengths or avoiding making an older mistake, or taking a smarter call to avoid going for a boundary and going for singles or doubles.
"So the key is to make sure that when you get to the crease, you're aware of what the opposition is trying to do. How are they trying to get me out? And then your decision as a batter - am I still sticking to my strengths? Am I trying to whack the ball for six over point, over cover? Or am I trying to bring the risk a little bit down and hit the ball on the ground for one or two, or try to score in a different area? Knowing Abhishek, you're probably trying to whack it for six over cover because he hits the ball so clean. But that's the decisions you have to make as a batter,” he continued.
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Slower balls – Abhishek’s weakness
Abhishek likes to have the ball come onto his bat nicely, and should that not happen, a reckless reaction could cost him his wicket – something that happened against South Africa in Ahmedabad.
"The other thing I've picked up is that teams are bowling a lot of slower balls at him, and it's because he's got such a beautiful swing. What you're trying to do with guys that have such a long swing is you're trying to take pace off the ball. So once again, his decision is, how do I counter guys when they're bowling it slow?” he added.
Meanwhile, Abhishek is likely to retain his place for the Zimbabwe fixture at the top despite a horror slump, with Sanju Samson in the fray to return to the playing XI.
