Eman 
“A Little Unexpected”: Abhishek Sharma Details India’s Struggle Against Hazlewood’s Pace and Bounce
ZeeaK 
Abhishek Sharma, India’s standout performer in the second T20I, offered frank insights into why the team faltered against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). While the final score shows India were bowled out for a mere 125 and lost by four wickets, Sharma pointed to the extreme pace and bounce, especially from Josh Hazlewood, as the unexpected turning point.
The Unseen Challenge of the MCG Pitch
Sharma’s counter-attacking 68 runs off 37 balls was a lone act of defiance. He explained that his approach was purely situational, necessitated by the collapse that saw India lose four wickets in the Powerplay.
“Our team plan is always to dominate early, but today was a little unexpected for us,” Sharma explained. “Their line and lengths were perfect. When players are falling around you, you have to adjust your natural game.”
He stressed that the scoring conditions were deceptively tough. “The wicket was looking very difficult while playing. It was not easy to hit shots,” he said, revealing that his focus shifted to simply adding any run possible to the collapsing total.
Hazlewood’s Masterclass
Sharma admitted that even the experience of facing Hazlewood in the preceding ODI series hadn’t prepared him for the pace bowler’s T20 mastery.
Hazlewood’s fiery spell of 3 for 12, delivered with Test-match discipline, left the Indian batters reeling.
“The way he bowled today even surprised me. I haven’t seen something like this in T20s,” Sharma confessed.
“He had a plan, and he executed it flawlessly.”
Praise for Harshit Rana
With India at a desperate 49 for 5, Harshit Rana received a surprise promotion. Sharma credited Rana (35 runs) for his calm head and vital support during a stabilizing half-century partnership.
“I knew that Harshit would bat higher up,” Sharma stated. “He came and told me, ‘Let’s play a little normally.’ He was aware of the situation and how we needed to take it deep. The right-left combination also helped greatly.”
Despite the heavy series defeat, the young Indian squad is taking the high pace and bounce as a valuable learning curve for future overseas assignments.
IMAGE CREDIT : CRICBUZZ
About the Author
