Last Updated: November 1, 2025 12:00 PM
India lost to Australia by 4 wickets in the second T20 match in Melbourne on Friday. Abhishek Sharma scored 68 runs, but the team lost.
Now Abhishek has explained why Gautam Gambhir sent Harshit Rana ahead of Shivam Dube. He openly shared this information in the press conference.
Australian bowlers created a stir
Abhishek said that the Australian bowlers surprised everyone.
“The challenge is that many players, including me, are on their first tour here. We knew about the extra bounce and pace, but the way they bowled surprised us. They were very disciplined with their line and length, and credit goes to them.”
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The team thought they would be able to handle the pace and bounce, but the Australian bowlers’ line and length ruined everything. Wickets started falling early, so the idea of aggressive batting had to be changed.
Abhishek said, “Our plan was to dominate up front, but it was a little unexpected for us. When wickets are falling in front of you, no matter who the batter is, you have to play for the team. The wicket was difficult, it wasn’t easy to hit shots.”
Then, a 56-run partnership was formed with Harshit Rana for the sixth wicket.
Why Gambhir sent Rana ahead of Dube? Team Strategy
Abhishek said that the decision to send Harshit up the order was correct.
“I knew Harshit could bat – he hit sixes off me a lot in the nets. He told me, ‘Let’s play a little normal,’ and that helped. The right-left combination worked well, and that’s why he went up the order ahead of Shivam Dube.”
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He then added that his captain and coach always supported him,
“When I play, I try to bring the bowler under pressure. This approach has its ups and downs, but my captain and coach have always supported me. They are clear that I should play my natural game, and when they say that, it gives me confidence.”
After the Zimbabwe series, I was overthinking, but now I have the confidence to play freely.
“After the Zimbabwe series, I was overthinking a bit. But when the captain and coach said they wanted me to play freely, it became clear in my mind. When I play my shots and the team wins, I enjoy it more.”
He further said, “As a batter, you want to face world-class bowlers. Some of the deliveries even surprised me – I haven’t seen anything like that in T20s before. But I was enjoying the challenge.”
The next match will be in Sydney on November 3. India trails the series 1-0, but the team is ready to bounce back.
