Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav turned defender for under-fire opener Abhishek Sharma on the eve of their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match against South Africa. With Abhishek scoreless in the tournament thus far, Suryakumar’s bold backing has injected optimism into the camp.
The 25-year-old, T20’s top-ranked batter, began with a duck against USA before perishing cheaply to Pakistan and Netherlands. Yet, in Ahmedabad on Friday, Suryakumar shut down the critics. ‘Concerned about his form? I am concerned for teams bowling to him after zero runs. The answer’s obvious,’ he remarked astutely in the pre-match briefing.
Suryakumar stressed solidarity: ‘Team sport means we ride waves together. Abhishek plays his way; if it clicks, perfect – otherwise, we step up. He bailed us out last year; reciprocity time now.’ This mindset reflects a mature leadership approach amid tournament intensity.
Earlier, coach Morne Morkel reinforced the stance. ‘No team talks on his position. World-class talent. Others have contributed, he hasn’t hit stride, but Super 8s are pivotal. He’ll perform big for team and fans – his entertaining strokeplay is a treat. Hitting fiercely in practice; needs that initial breakthrough to build.’
Encouragingly, Abhishek’s ledger against South Africa shines: 200 runs in 8 games, including a half-ton against the 2024 runners-up. Sunday’s clash marks India’s Super 8 entry, where Abhishek’s resurgence could spark a title charge, validating the unwavering team trust.