IND vs ENG: Abhishek Sharma Likely to Miss 2nd T20I Due to Ankle Injury Sustained During Net Session

Left-handed Indian opener Abhishek Sharma twisted his ankle while warming up at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk on Friday. As a result, he will be out of the game for the day. The second T20I against England is scheduled to take place this evening, so his participation in the match remains uncertain.

According to The Indian Express, Abhishek seemed visibly in distress and did not seem too pleased after the injury and was immediately attended to by the team physio. He was seen walking towards the MAC B Stadium around the corner but did not go onto the field to bat. During the net sessions, he could be spotted limping, leaving again much to be desired about his fit for the game.

Abhishek Sharma's absence might be one huge blow for India to seal a 2-0 lead in the T20I series. The left-handed opener was instrumental in the first match at Eden Gardens, where he smashed an excellent 79 off 34 balls, showing a steady start before releasing his whole range of shots. His knock, including five boundaries and eight sixes, laid the foundation for India's seven-wicket win, though he fell to a rash shot off Rashid Khan.

If Abhishek is excluded, India will be in a position of bother because the team doesn't have a third specialist opening batsman. Replacing a player at short notice will be a challenge. Among the four first T20I replacements, only Washington Sundar and Dhruv Jurel are known batsmen. Sundar, a left-hander with the added advantage of being a bowling option at his home ground, could be a bold choice for the opening slot. Alternatively, India could opt for the safer route by promoting Jurel, though it might require one of Tilak Varma or Suryakumar Yadav to step up as a makeshift opener.

Mohammed Shami is likely to be fit and available for the second game as he did not play the first game. Shami was absent at Eden Gardens reportedly on a tactical decision. The team decided to go in with a single specialist pacer, Arshdeep Singh, along with all-rounders Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Nitish Reddy. The combination worked out pretty well and the management will probably stick to it going into the second game. Shami may have to wait until the series hangs in the balance before getting a chance in the remaining matches.