Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has issued a serious warning to the Men in Blue about the playing XI ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 final against the New Zealand National Cricket Team on Sunday, March 8, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
There are few concerns in the India camp, including Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy’s struggles, and many have already called for bold moves for the summit clash, and now the former Indian captain has joined the long list.
The 1983 World Cup winner believes that the defending champions need to take a bold step for the T20 World Cup 2026 final against the Black Caps. The legendary batter felt the team management should seriously think about leaving Abhishek Sharma out for the title clash, as the young opener has already gotten enough chances despite persistent struggles.
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Abhishek Sharma’s performances in the ongoing showpiece event have not lived up to expectations. The aggressive left-hander has scored only 89 runs and been dismissed thrice for a duck, putting extra pressure on the Indian batting lineup in the tournament.
Gavaskar slams Abhishek Sharma’s spin struggles
One of the biggest problems in Abhishek’s batting has been his repeated struggle against spin bowling. Opposing teams understood his weakness and started attacking him with spinners early in the innings. Gavaskar pointed out that the youngster has not adjusted his approach despite facing the same problem again and again in the tournament, so this is the time to bench him.
Sunil Gavaskar was quoted as saying in India Today: “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. 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.”
The legendary opener has demanded Rinku Singh’s inclusion in the playing XI for the final against the Black Caps, as he has suggested that Ishan Kishan should open with Sanju Samson at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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Gavaskar added, “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 wants Kuldeep Yadav to replace Varun Chakravarthy
Speaking about Varun Chakravarthy, who has been conceding excessive runs in the recent matches, Gavaskar feels the Men in Blue could consider bringing wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav into the team for the final given his ability to spin the ball even on flat pitches.
He signed off by saying, “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.”
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