{"id":437301,"date":"2026-02-21T04:28:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T04:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/437301\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T04:28:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T04:28:14","slug":"india-to-drop-abhishek-sharma-for-super-8-match-vs-sa-morne-morkel-gives-big-update-cricket-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/437301\/","title":{"rendered":"India To Drop Abhishek Sharma For Super 8 Match Vs SA? Morne Morkel Gives Big Update | Cricket News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 19:18 IST<\/p>\n

Abhishek Sharma faces scrutiny after three ducks in T20 World Cup 2026, but Morne Morkel backs him for India\u2019s Super 8 clash against South Africa in Ahmedabad.\"font\"\"new\"new<\/a>\"Abhishek<\/p>\n

Abhishek Sharma (Picture Credit: AP)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The T20 World Cup 2026 is halfway through, and Abhishek Sharma, the dashing Indian opener, is yet to score a run. Three ducks in as many innings have put him under the spotlight, but the team management looks in no mood to get away from him. Instead, the 25-year-old is expected to get a long rope as the coaches believe his best is yet to come.<\/p>\n

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel dismissed any talk of dropping Abhishek Sharma from India\u2019s first Super 8 fixture, against South Africa, on Sunday in Ahmedabad.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely no discussion in our team group about that. He is a world-class player. So far in the tournament, luckily, we\u2019ve had other guys standing up with Abhishek not scoring the runs you would like,” Morkel told the media.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going through a very important phase of the World Cup now, and I\u2019m pretty sure he\u2019s going to deliver. Not just for the team, but also for all the viewers watching the game, because he\u2019s entertaining and we love to see that. He\u2019s hitting the ball well in the nets. It\u2019s just a matter of getting that start and getting his innings going,” Morkel added.<\/p>\n

Earlier, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said the batters must be ready for tougher surfaces and bigger boundaries in the Super 8 stage, rather than relying on high-scoring pitches.<\/p>\n

Speaking after India\u2019s last group-stage fixture against the Netherlands, Doeschate admitted that having three left-handers \u2014 Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma \u2014 at the top allows opponents to plan more effectively against India. The assistant coach clarified that the issue is not specifically against off-spin but their overall approach to finger spinners, which needs improvement.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has (made it easier for teams to plan against India). We don\u2019t have many options (in the top three). We have got Sanju sitting on the side and we feel on balance, particularly with the games coming up, if we look at what finger spin is, we are going to come up against New Zealand,” Ten Doeschate said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have got a few guys who bowl finger spin and so do the West Indies and so does South Africa if you include Markram. But on balance, we still feel that these are our best batters and we are going to make do with the abundance of left-handers,” he added.<\/p>\n

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First Published:<\/p>\n

February 20, 2026, 19:10 IST<\/p>\n

News<\/a> cricket<\/a> India To Drop Abhishek Sharma For Super 8 Match Vs SA? Morne Morkel Gives Big UpdateDisclaimer: Comments reflect users\u2019 views, not News18\u2019s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use<\/a> and Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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