New Delhi: Ahead of the second T20 International match against England on Saturday, India have dealt with an injury scare with opener Abhishek Sharma doubtful for the game at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Multiple media reports have suggested that the player ended up twisting his ankle during a warm-up session on Friday evening in the Tamil Nadu capital.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the left-handed batter was seen in pain and received the physio treatment. He was seen limping at the nets and didn’t came to bat subsequently. The Punjab player’s participation remains a concern for the Chennai match.
The southpaw smashed 79 runs off 34 balls powered by five fours and eight sixes in a blistering innings at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata to help India chase down the mediocre chase of 133 in just 12.5 overs. India defeated England by seven wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
In case Abhishek won’t be available to play for the hosts, it leaves with a big question of who opens the innings alongside Sanju Samson. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side doesn’t have any backup opener in their squad, but could potentially promote Tilak Varma up the order. Dhruv Jurel could come in place of Abhishek as a likely replacement in the playing XI.
Shami to return?
Senior Indian seamer Mohammed Shami, who warmed the bench in the series opener in Kolkata, was seen bowling in the nets on Friday, as per reports. The 34-year-old was included in India’s squad, marking his return to international cricket after around 14 months. However, he wasn’t played in the first game with India fielding Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya as the two frontline seamers.
India played three spinners in Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel thanks to the batting depth made by the presence of Nitish Kumar Reddy joining Hardik and Axar as the third all-rounder of the team, though the youngster wasn’t required to roll his arms in Kolkata.
Abhishek Sharma’s reported ankle injury casts doubt on his participation in the second T20I match against England. His absence would create a significant opening batting void. Mohammed Shami’s return to the squad, after a long break, adds depth to the bowling attack. Potential replacements for Sharma include Dhruv Jurel or a promotion for Tilak Varma. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
