Amid an inconsistent start to Abhishek Sharma's T20I career, former India wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa has urged the team management to give a free role to the young opener. Despite scoring a century in just his second T20I match, Abhishek has come under the scanner for his recent performances of late. In nine T20I innings, he has scored just 166 runs at an underwhelming average of 20.75. Amid concerns over his consistency, Uthappa has requested the team management to give Abhishek a Virender Sehwag-like license from early 2000s where he was told to express himself.
"I won't look for too much consistency with someone like him. I would like to leave him as free as possible, like a Virender Sehwag perhaps in the early 2000s, where people were like 'just go and enjoy yourself'," Uthappa told Jio Cinema.
Uthappa insisted he isn't too worried about Abhishek's consistency as the team has set a role for him where he has been asked to attack the bowlers from the get go.
"Because if it comes, it's a match-winning hundred or 80, if he gets a quick start, he is still serving the purpose towards the team. So the role is defined. I wouldn't worry too much about consistency when it comes to Abhishek," he added.
Abhishek caught the attention of the selectors after enjoying a breakthrough season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year.
He scored 484 runs in 16 matches at an average of 32.26, helping SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) reach the final, where they were beaten by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Meanwhile, Sanju Samson slammed a second successive T20I century to set up a 61-run win for India in the first of four matches against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.
Opening batter Samson hit 10 sixes and seven fours in a spectacular innings of 107 off 50 balls in an Indian total of 202-8.
It proved more than enough. Leg-spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi bowled in tandem and took three wickets apiece as South Africa crumbled to 141 all out.
(With AFP Inputs)
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