"He Hasn't Learned": Sunil Gavaskar Wants India Superstar Dropped For T20 World Cup Final

As the Indian team management contemplates the playing XI for the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand, a few selection issues remain unresolved. One of the biggest concerns is the form of opening batter Abhishek Sharma, who has managed only 80 runs in the tournament so far. His sole noteworthy performance came against Zimbabwe, where he scored 55 runs. Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar has urged the Gautam Gambhir-led management to drop Abhishek from the playing XI for the decider in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Abhishek was arguably India's most in-form batter heading into the T20 World Cup but fell ill in the opening game against the USA. He lost around 2 kg in weight and some muscle mass, which appears to have affected his game. Gavaskar, while admitting it is a tough call, believes Abhishek should be left out.

"It's a very tough call. Abhishek Sharma is the No. 1 batter in the ICC T20 rankings, but he hasn't learned from his dismissals. He keeps getting out in the same region where his arms are cramped for room," Gavaskar said during a chat with India Today.

"Bowlers are targeting that area and forcing mistakes. My concern is that he either hasn't adjusted yet or is unable to change his approach," he added.

Gavaskar wants Ishan Kishan to open with Sanju Samson at the top, with 'finisher' Rinku Singh coming into the team in place of Abhishek.

"I would like to see Ishan Kishan open the batting with Sanju Samson, with Rinku Singh coming into the side. Rinku has that belief-you've probably seen the 'God's Plan' tattoo on his body-and sometimes things just work out for players like him," Gavaskar said.

Another change Gavaskar has suggested is replacing Varun Chakravarthy with Kuldeep Yadav.

"The other change I would consider is bringing in Kuldeep Yadav. Varun Chakravarthy's confidence looks shattered at the moment. Since the Super Eight stage, when he faced stronger teams, he has struggled and conceded a lot of runs. At a ground like the Narendra Modi Stadium, with big boundaries, Kuldeep Yadav could be a good option because he can turn the ball even on flat surfaces," Gavaskar explained.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team Sunil Gavaskar Abhishek Sharma Varun Chakaravarthy T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket