‘I've had a worse experience’ - Gautam Gambhir reveals why he kept backing Abhishek Sharma

Published - 15 Mar 2026, 14:51 IST | Updated - 15 Mar 2026, 17:14 IST

India head coach Gautam Gambhir recently revealed how he backed struggling opener Abhishek Sharma during a difficult phase during the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026, urging the young opener to remain fearless and stick to his natural attacking game.

Abhishek entered the tournament with huge expectations but endured a rough start, registering three consecutive ducks in the group stage. Despite the early setbacks, the Indian team management, led by Gambhir, continued to show faith in the aggressive left-hander.

Speaking about the situation, Gambhir explained that poor scores did not necessarily mean the batter was out of form. Instead, he believed Abhishek simply needed more time in the middle.

"I've had a worse experience than him in 2014 during the IPL, when I got three ducks in a row and then another in the fourth game as well. All I told him was that people will look at your scores and will talk about your form, but actually, you are not out of form; you are just out of runs," Gambhir was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

The former India opener also emphasised that judging a player's form without giving them enough time at the crease is unfair. Gambhir also encouraged Abhishek to play with even greater intent and ignore outside criticism, advising him to commit fully to his aggressive style.

"The only time you can judge your form is when you have played 20 to 30 balls in the middle, and he hasn't even faced 20 balls yet. All I wanted him to do was go out there in the next game and be even more aggressive compared to what he was in the previous game," Gambhir stated.

"If you want to hit the first ball out of the ground, go and do it, and commit yourself to it 100 per cent because it really doesn't matter what the world thinks about you. All that matters is what those 30 people in the dressing room think about you,” he concluded.

The backing from the team management eventually paid off as Abhishek rediscovered his rhythm and played a crucial knock in India's final against New Zealand. India went on to defend the trophy with a dominant victory in the final, completing a memorable run in the competition.