Gautam Gambhir holds intense chat with Abhishek Sharma in Ahmedabad

Pressure is rising inside the Indian camp, and all eyes are now on Abhishek Sharma. The young opener is going through a nightmare run in the T20 World Cup 2026, and the tension was clearly visible during India’s practice session at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 20.

Gautam Gambhir’s serious chat with Abhishek Sharma raises questions

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen having a serious one-on-one chat with Abhishek Sharma while the rest of the team continued training at the Narendra Modi Stadium. It was not a casual talk, but looked intense and serious between Gambhir and Abhishek.

Gautam Gambhir chat with Abhishek Sharma in practice session at Ahmadabad.🔥 pic.twitter.com/3jB1Lvp5F0

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— Danish (@BhttDNSH100) February 21, 2026

Abhishek Sharma with Head coach Gautam Gambhir.#AbhishekSharma pic.twitter.com/rSqabtZzjd

— Reckless🦁 (@Fearlessabhi44) February 20, 2026

With a big Super 8 clash against South Africa scheduled on February 22 in Ahmedabad, the Men in Blue cannot afford another top-order failure. Abhishek has struggled badly in the group stage. He recorded three ducks in three straight matches of the tournament.

Read Also: Aakash Chopra dismantles Pakistan over ‘ICC favouring BCCI’ allegations

In his last two games, off-spinners removed the left-handed batter in the very first over. Salman Ali Agha and Aryan Dutt exposed Abhishek’s weakness, and now opponents are watching closely as the T20 World Cup 2026 enters the crucial phase of the tournament.

Many experts have been heavily criticizing the Indian opener, and they are talking about a pattern in his dismissals. Social media is also buzzing with questions about his place in the team. However, Abhishek dealt with illness earlier in the tournament, which might have disturbed his rhythm.

India backs Abhishek Sharma despite run drought

Despite the poor numbers, the Indian cricket team management has shown faith in him. India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, admitted that the lack of runs is a concern, but he made it clear that the team still believes in Abhishek’s ability, and he must step up in the tournament.

Morne Morkel said during the pre-match press conference, "Absolutely no discussion in our team group about that. Abhishek is a world-class player. Luckily, there were guys standing up with Abhishek, obviously not scoring the runs he would like. But we're going through a very important phase of the World Cup now, and I'm pretty sure he's going to deliver.”

Read Also: Abhishek Sharma blocked from net practice after hat-trick of ducks

Abhishek has shown glimpses of his timing and confidence at the nets, but now it is time to bring that form to the middle in the crucial Super 8 game against South Africa.

Sunil Gavaskar blames pressure for Abhishek's poor form

Earlier, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that pressure is troubling the 25-year-old batter. He feels Abhishek is forcing himself to play big shots from the very first ball, which led to his struggles.

Gavaskar was quoted as saying by the Times of India: “Abhishek Sharma is a lovely guy, but expectations seem to be weighing on him. If he had started well against the USA, it would have been different. Now, the pressure of being the big six-hitter and top batter is showing.”

The legendary added, “With his shot range, he needs to spend time in the middle. He cannot try to hit a boundary or six on the first ball of his innings. If the big shots come, fine. But he shouldn’t force himself to play the big shots across the line.”