India national cricket team bowling coach Morne Morkel has backed opener Abhishek Sharma to rediscover his form despite a lean run in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Abhishek, who has been one of India’s standout batters in the shortest format over the past two years, has struggled for runs in the tournament so far. The 25-year-old has scored just 80 runs in six matches, with a highest score of 55 against Zimbabwe. His campaign began with three consecutive ducks, raising questions about his confidence heading into the knockout stage. However, Morkel said such phases are a natural part of a cricketer’s career and can ultimately help players grow.
He pointed to wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson’s recent performance as an example of how players can recover from a difficult phase. Samson produced a match-winning unbeaten 97 against West Indies to guide India into the semi-finals.
“No, I think just sometimes this game can be hard on you, cruel on you, similar to the situation that Sanju found himself in,” Morkel told reporters on the eve of India’s semi-final against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
“In your career you're going to find moments like this and this is good growth for him, it's good learning for him, for a young sort of guy finding his feet in international cricket, this will only help him down the line and for Indian cricket,” Morkel said.
Abhishek will also take confidence from his last outing against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. When the two sides met at the venue in February 2025, the left-hander produced a stunning innings of 135 off just 54 balls.
Morkel believes the aggressive batter is capable of rediscovering that form. “Abhishek, his way of playing is one or two shots that can find him that rhythm, that can give him that confidence back and that for me is a pleasing sign,” he said.
“It's a fresh page for him tomorrow, opportunity to go and do well, scored a hundred here against England not so long ago, so for him it's just tapping into those little videos and looking at his feel-good moments and building a blueprint and knowing he's starting on zero tomorrow, it's a new opportunity for him and enough for him to make a play,” Morkel added.
India and England will meet in a T20 World Cup semi-final for the third straight edition, continuing an increasingly intense knockout rivalry between the two sides. England defeated India in the 2022 semi-final when Jos Buttler and Alex Hales put together a record partnership to chase down the target. India responded in the 2024 edition with a commanding 64-run victory to reach the final.
