Like India on 15th February at Colombo’s R. As we gear up for the big T20 World Cup 2026 clash against Pakistan at the Premadasa Stadium, the fitness of explosive opener Abhishek Sharma remains a major concern for captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
The left-handed player had to be admitted to a hospital in Delhi earlier this week due to severe stomach infection and viral fever. The illness caused him to lose a lot of weight and also suffer from dehydration, which forced him to miss India’s emphatic win over Namibia on 12 February – following which he was out for a golden duck in the first match against the USA.
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch, who led Australia to the 2021 T20 World Cup title, advised caution while speaking to India Today. Despite the tough competition, Finch advised against bringing Sharma back in a hurry: “No, he is very prepared… As big as the game is, I think India will be looking at the Super 8s, semi-finals and the final. So, according to me, if Abhishek is still ill and you don’t want to take a risk, then it is absolutely fine, because you understand that you may not win the tournament in this first phase, but you can definitely lose it.”
Finch described Sharma as “the most damaging player in world cricket”, and emphasized his value peak in the knockouts: “You want him to be fit and playing well… If it means he has to rest a few more days, I think that’s something you’re absolutely prepared to do, no matter how big the India vs Pakistan match is on paper.”
India have strong options, with Ishan Kishan scoring 61 runs off 24 balls (six fours, five sixes) and Sanju Samson finding the rhythm against Namibia. The final decision depends on Sharma’s performance in the net session in Colombo on Saturday (February 14), with the medical team giving priority to complete recovery over short-term gains.
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