Ravi Shastri thinks India would “take off” in the T20 World Cup next month if their explosive opener Abhishek Sharma fires, while Kevin Pietersen praised the left-hander as a “proper star.”
In India’s 48-run victory over New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International on Wednesday in Nagpur, Abhishek, the world’s top batter, slammed a 35-ball 84 with eight sixes and five fours in another magnificent display of his ultra-explosive technique.
When asked who would be the most impactful player in the upcoming T20 global showpiece beginning on February 7, Shastri said, “Abhishek, without a shadow of a doubt. (He’s the) No. 1 T20 batsman in the world (and is) in a rich vein of form.”
“Last evening (on Wednesday), he took the game away from New Zealand. You’ve got to watch out for him because his confidence level is high. He’ll be backed by the home crowd and if he takes off, it means India take off,” Shastri said.
According to Shastri, it’s important for players and coaches to take criticism, but it should be constructive.
“I prefer criticism that is constructive (and) when I became a broadcaster, I said I’ve divorced the dressing room and I will speak on what I see. It doesn’t matter if you were my colleague or you were my friend when I was playing the game,” he said.
“But that’s something you expect. In my tenure, there were good moments and there were rough moments. You just have to take it in your stride because you know there is another game coming up. One day you are in a pole position. The next day you are in a troll position. That can happen. But in a week, you can see all three. You can be in pole, troll, again pole,” he added.
Kevin Pietersen’s first choice for the most influential player in the T20 World Cup was Dewald Brevis of South Africa.
“Dewald Brevis, for South Africa. He again played another incredible innings last night. A couple of days ago, I was calling the game in Johannesburg where his team, the Pretoria Capitals, led by (Sourav) Ganguly, was struggling. They were 7/5 (against Joburg Super Kings) and Brevis went (in) and batted for 15 overs and they got to a winning total of 140 or 150 (143/6),” he said.
According to Pietersen, Brevis demonstrated that he is more than just a six-hitter.
“(Now) that’s something Brevis has always come under criticism for, that he’s just a one-trick pony. He stands there, and he just tries to hit six after six after six. I said on commentary, that could be the making of Brevis, so from that point of view, he’s in that (list) just because I’m seeing him a lot at the moment,” Pietersen said.
But the legendary England batsman went back to Abhishek, calling him a “proper star.”
“Remember when Abhishek got that 150 (135 off 54 balls; 7 fours, 13 sixes) against England at the Wankhede (Stadium) last year… We interviewed him after the game. I just put my hand on his shoulder and I said, ‘young man, that is the best T20 innings I’ve ever seen in international cricket’. That kid is a proper star,” he said.
Pietersen was also aware of Abhishek’s spectacular performance against the Kiwis in the first Twenty20 International.
“When you know he’s batting, you turn the TV on,” he added.
However, Pietersen stated that considering how England is performing, it will be a “very big shout” to predict that they will win the T20 World Cup.
“The way England is playing, that’s a very big shout,” he said.
