Abhishek Sharma has faced questions about his technique against off-spinners, but his explosive performance in the third T20I at Wellington on Tuesday, October 27, silenced those concerns, at least for the time being. The 26-year-old left-hander struck 113 off just 38 balls, featuring nine fours and 11 sixes, as India chased down a 199-run target in 13.2 overs with six wickets remaining. The victory handed the visitors an unassailable 3-0 advantage in the five-match series against New Zealand.
Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain, tried deploying all types of bowlers to contain Abhishek during the match at Henry Stadium, but none could restrict his surreal assault. Dinesh Karthik, the former India wicketkeeper, defended Abhishek's record against off-spinners and emphasised that occasional dismissals to them should not overshadow his overall performance.
Karthik's assessment focused on the context of Abhishek's dismissals rather than the dismissals themselves. The former wicketkeeper noted that occasional dismissals to off-spinners after scoring heavily should not be viewed as a technical flaw, particularly when the batter has already accumulated significant runs in the innings.
"He's not producing such knocks every 5 or 6 innings, he is doing it in every 2 or 3 innings now. If he is getting out to off-spinners, if he does after hitting 30 off 10 or 12, it is okay. If he is getting out in the first two balls, he doesn't know which way it is turning, or his technique is a problem, then it is a point of discussion," Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
Why Karthik backs Abhishek's off-spin record?
Karthik highlighted how Abhishek took the attack to Michael Bracewell, the New Zealand off-spinner, in the powerplay. The left-hander's aggressive approach against Bracewell demonstrated his ability to counter off-spin bowling with positive intent rather than defensive caution.
"He got 15 runs in 4 balls against Michael Bracewell in his first over. For a guy who is supposedly weak against off-spin. You take that any day, and you shouldn't even be discussing it as a problem. It is just a matter of fact that he gets out to off-spin sometimes," Karthik said.
"That's about it; there is nothing to worry about. I feel like he is the best opener in the world right now. For some time, he has shown that," he added.
Abhishek's 113 marked his fourth T20I century, achieved from just 35 balls, making it the joint second-fastest century by an Indian batter in the format. His innings also became the highest score by an Indian batter in a successful T20I run chase, surpassing the previous record. India's powerplay assault yielded 118 runs, the highest powerplay total in men's T20 Internationals, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi playing second fiddle in the partnership.
