Abhishek Sharma hospitalised due to stomach infection, likely to miss Namibia fixture
New Delhi, February 11
India's destructive opener batter Abhishek Sharma is not well and is currently hospitalised due to a stomach infection, according to a BCCI source.
Sharma was not looking well during the team dinner at the head coach Gautam Gambhir's residence on Sunday and was the first to leave the dinner.
According to the source, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side may give a green signal to Sanju Samson to open the innings with Ishan Kishan tomorrow if the ICC World no. 1 T20I batsman does not recover in time.
Samson struggled with the form and scored 10, 6, 0, 24, and 6 during the recently concluded T20I bilateral series against New Zealand.
Earlier on Tuesday, during a press conference in Delhi, the Indian team assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate provided updates on key players, including Jasprit Bumrah's fitness and Abhishek Sharma's health.
"As for Abhishek, he's dealing with a tummy issue, but we are hopeful that he'll be fit in time for the match against Namibia," Doeschate had revealed.
India is set to clash with Namibia in Group A on Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
In their first Group A fixture, the Indian team defeated the USA by 29 runs, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav remaining unbeaten on 84 from 49 balls.
Men in Blue are in Delhi and will play Namibia on February 12. They are then scheduled to play the much-anticipated World Cup match against Pakistan in Colombo on February 15, before travelling to Ahmedabad for their final group-stage clash against the Netherlands on February 18.
Team India's T20 World Cup 2026 squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Stomach infections in Delhi are so common, the food and water can be tricky. Hope the team management is taking extra care with what the players are eating outside the hotel. Wishing Abhishek a speedy recovery.
Sanju Samson to open? With his current form? That's a huge gamble. Why not try Rinku Singh at the top? He has the firepower. We need a solid start, not another collapse. Team management needs to think carefully.
The assistant coach said "hopeful" for Namibia match, but the source says "likely to miss". Which one is it? BCCI needs clearer communication. Fans are left confused. Just hope the boy is getting the best care.
Feel so bad for him. Must be terrible to be unwell during a World Cup. Rest up, champ! The team has enough depth to handle Namibia. Focus on getting 100% for the big matches ahead. 🇮🇳
This is why player fitness and managing their diet on tour is crucial. It's not just about training. A small tummy issue can disrupt the whole team's balance. Hope he recovers quickly, we need his explosive batting.
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