Abhishek Sharma's Form Slump Continues in Zimbabwe Series
The young Indian batter has struggled against back-of-a-length bowling, managing only 11 runs in three innings against Zimbabwe.
Since the start of the UK tour, Abhishek Sharma has amassed just 191 runs in ten innings at an average of 19.10, with only one fifty. His strike rate of 166.08 masks a deeper technical issue: he has been repeatedly undone by deliveries pitched on a good or back-of-a-length zone, particularly against pace. Nine of his ten dismissals against fast bowlers have come from balls landing between six and ten metres from the stumps.
The Zimbabwe series exposed this weakness starkly. Blessing Muzarabani targeted that area consistently, bowling all 14 deliveries to Abhishek in that corridor. The left-hander managed only two runs off those balls and lost his wicket three times. Across the three-match series, Abhishek scored 11 runs from 20 balls, with his only boundaries coming against spin.
While he occasionally contributed with the ball, his batting rut deepened. In contrast, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showed adaptability on the same tour, adjusting his game to suit conditions. Abhishek's inability to counter short-pitched bowling away from home remains a concern as India's T20 schedule continues.