India opener Abhishek Sharma’s availability for the marquee T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan remains uncertain, with spinner Varun Chakravarthy saying the batter “looks good” while skipper Suryakumar Yadav has hinted he may need more time to recover.
Abhishek, who missed India’s previous game against Namibia due to a stomach infection, was discharged from a Delhi hospital on Wednesday after being admitted for a couple of days with high fever and stomach pain.
“As far as I have spoken to him he looks good, he did some practice today also. He told me he is on the way,” said Chakravarthy, who starred with the ball in the win over Namibia.
However, the left-handed opener did not train with the team at the Kotla on Thursday and is understood to be still feeling weak. There has also been some weight loss, and recovery from a severe stomach infection can take time, particularly in terms of regaining match fitness and endurance.
“Abhishek isn't fine still, might take one or two games,” skipper Suryakumar Yadav dropped enough hints that the he could be a doubtful starter for the Pakistan game.
India take on arch-rivals Pakistan in Colombo on Sunday in a crucial group league fixture.
At the toss against Namibia, Suryakumar had indicated that Abhishek would miss “a game or two” before regaining full fitness. In his absence, Sanju Samson opened alongside Ishan Kishan.
It is understood that Abhishek’s training session in Colombo will be a key indicator of his readiness. If he bats for a long duration, as he usually does in routine net sessions, it could signal that he is close to full fitness.
Over the past year, Abhishek has been known to take multiple turns during India’s net sessions, often batting for 75 to 90 minutes in a three-hour practice — a workload that will likely serve as the benchmark for his return ahead of the high-profile clash.