Faf du Plessis Backs Abhishek Sharma for T20 World Cup Breakout Innings

For three matches in this T20 World Cup during the group stage, the world waited for Abhishek, the top-ranked T20I batter, to open his run tally. When he finally did it with a four against South Africa, he did not look anywhere close to his dominant, authoritative self. While waiting for the ball to come in his hitting arc and taking his time, he swung his bat at almost every opportunity possible with hopes of landing a meaty hit towards the boundary, but he could score just a 12-ball 15. The clash against Zimbabwe will be a massive chance for him to make an impact, the same opposition against whom he cracked his first-ever international ton during his second T20I match back in 2024.

"Tactically, the game has got so smart with analysts and the way that they are trying to get you out," du Plessis said on ESPNcricinfo Timeout. "What I have picked up of late with Abhishek is people are now putting a deep point out and a deep extra cover out because he is so good at hitting the ball through the offside," he added.

He said that Abhishek needs to be clear in his decision-making when he gets to the crease, whether to "bring the risk down a little bit" and rotate the strike rate or go for his signature big hits.

The South African star also pointed out that more teams are bowling slower deliveries to him, tempting him to play big shots with his massive bat swing. But these slower deliveries deceive him with their pace, and he ends up mistiming the ball straight into the hands of a fielder or misses it altogether.

"The other thing I have picked up is that teams are bowling a lot of slower balls at him, and it is because he is got such a beautiful swing. What you are trying to do with guys that have such a long swing is you are trying to take pace off the ball. So once again, his decision is, how do I counter guys when they are bowling it slow?" he said.

"For me, what I try to do when guys are bowling slower balls at me, I either try to come down the wicket because you want to generate pace to hit the ball, or you try to hang back and set for that slower ball so that your hands are never in front of you. I am not going to try to talk to Abhishek about batting. You know exactly what to do, but I can see teams are bowling a lot of slower balls at him," he added.

Du Plessis noted how "everyone is talking about him and will be wanting to give their 5 cents on how he should bat".

"There will be 1000 opinions, 50 coaches. Everyone will want to give their 5 cents to Abhishek and the way he should bat. And it's a tough place to be if you're a young guy, 25 years old, in your first World Cup with so many expectations. He has bossed the last year, smashed every bowling attack all over the place," he added.

In the end, the South African backed the youngster to play an "amazing innings somewhere in this World Cup", pointing to his ability to whack the bowling attacks all over the park as evident during his last two-three IPL seasons.

"He has been unbelievable the last two-three years in the IPL. He whacks bowling attacks all over the ground. He is the newer generation of T20 cricketer who doesn't actually have to worry about defence. He has got so many attacking options. The key for him now is, how do you keep the noise out? How do you make sure you focus on your strengths, your game, and keep your mind as clear as possible? Because there is a lot of noise going on when a player is in this state. I have got no doubt, give him a couple more innings, the youngster will come through, and he will have an amazing innings somewhere in this World Cup," he concluded.

- ANI