India opener Abhishek Sharma was reportedly hospitalised in Delhi due to a stomach infection ahead of the T20 World Cup clash against Namibia. The team awaits his recovery, while Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson prepare to open in his absence.
India opener Abhishek Sharma was hospitalised on Tuesday night after suffering from a stomach infection. Earlier in the day, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had revealed that the southpaw was dealing with a โstomach upset,โ which was cited as the reason for his absence from the teamโs training session ahead of the Namibia match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, ten Doeschate expressed optimism about Abhishekโs recovery. โAbhi still has a few issues with his tummy. We are hopeful that heโll be available for the game in two daysโ time,โ he said.
Notably, in Indiaโs opening game in the T20 World Cup against USA, Abhishek was down under the weather and yet featured in the game in Mumbai. He made a golden duck in the first innings and didnโt take the field in the second. He was expected to recover with India enjoying five days gap between their first and second game, but that didnโt go as per the plan.
According to a report in The Times of India, Abhishekโs condition worsened over the past 24 hours, prompting concern from the head coach, particularly during a special dinner hosted at his residence.
In Abhishekโs absence, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson were the first to take the nets and are likely to open the innings against Namibia. Even if Abhishek regains fitness in time, the team management may choose not to risk him with a high-profile clash against Pakistan scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.
Meanwhile, both Kishan and Samson endured a challenging session in the nets. Hardik Pandya produced a dominant spell against Kishan, while Arshdeep Singh troubled Samson, whose lack of confidence was evident. Samson was later seen receiving extended treatment on his left arm.
Update on Washington Sundar and Jasprit Bumrahโs fitness
Both Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar trained with the rest of the squad on February 10. However, the ace pacer wasnโt bowling at his full throttle. Sundar, on the other hand, didnโt look match-ready just yet. The team will have their second training session tonight and also a pre-match press conference, where the fitness concerns will be addressed.
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