Abhishek Sharma to be dropped for IND vs ENG semi-final? Ravi Shastri, Ricky Ponting deliver ruthless verdict

India have qualified for the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. They will be facing England on March 5, 2026, at the Wankhede Stadium. However, qualifying for the semi-final, there has been tension with the form of one of India’s batter Abhishek Sharma. The flamboyant opener has not found his best form in the tournament.

Abhishek Sharma has just scored a fifty in a major tournament. He has been let down by his aggressive approach, as he has scored three consecutive ducks and has been struggling to get runs. The No.1 T20I batter has been under pressure after his dismal performances so far in the T20 World Cup.

Abhishek Sharma backed by the former India head coach

Ahead of the all-important semi-final clash against England, two former cricketers, Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting, have their backs on Abhishek Sharma despite his lean patch, as the two former cricketers believe that Abhishek always delivers when it matters most.

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Speaking with ICC presenter Sanjana Gansan on The ICC Review, the former India head coach stated that any decision regarding his spot in the playing XI will be decided by the team management, looking at the batter’s mindset.

Ravi Shastri said, "Unless the team management realises that, mentally he's not there. If mentally, his mindset has taken a beating, it's for them to judge from the outside, in conversations with him, just seeing the way he's batting in the nets."

I would stick with him - Ricky Ponting

Former Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting, who predicted that Abhishek would be the leading run scorer of the tournament, also predicted that the Southpaw would be the Player of the Tournament. However, nothing has happened as per the former’s prediction, though Ponting agrees with Ravi Shastri that the team management would stick with him in the next game as well.

"He's obviously not made the runs that any of us expected,” Ponting stated. “I had him down as the leading run scorer and possibly the player of the tournament going back about a month ago. That hasn't happened yet, but I would agree with Ravi. I would stick with him."

Abhishek Sharma has just scored 80 runs in six matches at an average of 13.33, with a highest score of 55 and a strike rate of 131.14. This whole stat outlines the struggle the No.1 batter has gone through in this tournament. However, he has been backed by the team management and the head coach as well.

Ravi Shastri has dropped a comment on changing the batting order, as he wants in-form Ishan Kishan, who had a strong tournament himself with 224 runs from seven games, to open the innings in case Abhishek gets dropped.

Shastri said, "If that's the case, then and only then will I think of putting Ishan Kishan up the order and then probably Rinku Singh bringing him, at the bottom. That could be the only change, but I would still persist with him because last time India played England, he had a terrific series against them."

Abhishek Sharma loves playing against England

The last time India played at Wankhede, Abhishek Sharma went back to the pavilion after scoring a duck on the very first ball against the USA. However, ahead of that particular game, in another outing at the Wankhede stadium, he scored a 54-ball 135 at a strike rate of 250 against the same opposition that India meets in the semi-final.

Shastri said, "I won't take that away at the Wankhede. He's done well in the past. He's got some big hundreds there and very quick hundreds. I'll persist with him because there's enough firepower in that batting."

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