Both the Sunrisers Hyderabad openers seem to struggle in the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup. Even though Travis Head has seen an early exit after Australia's early disqualification, Abhishek Sharma is keeping the hope alive. Abhishek's presence at the top has been sending chills to the opposition. But a recent stomach bug has humbled him with three ducks in all three World Cup matches he played.

And this seems to have hampered his confidence a bit. The Indian team had been out for their first training session after a day off before the Super Eight clash. The training session was held at 5:30 pm in the giant oval of the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 20. The homeboy Jasprit Bumrah turned out late but had his usual practice sessions. But Abhishek's body language was noticeable amidst all.

According to a report from the Times of India, Abhishek Sharma got a delayed entry in the nets. After the designated batters finished their sessions, Abhishek got his chance. But before he got to bat, he had a full bowling session. And then he came to bat.

However, he looked out of touch. The report claimed that Abhsihek focused mainly on hitting sixes. However, he looked out of confidence.

Read also: India Charged Up By Abhishek Sharma Before Super 8s As Ishan Kishan’s Reaction Surfaces

Before the session started, coach Gautam Gambhir had an extended animated conversation with the southpaw before he entered the nets. They even shared a fist bump, assuring management's support.

Well, Abhsihek was not hitting the shots as cleanly as he does on his best days, as per the TOI. Abhishek batted 20 minutes in the nets. And all eyes were on him. Apart from the coaches, captain Suryakumar Yadav, along with the rest of the team, gathered around his net watching him hit the balls. 

Later in the day, Morne Morkel, the side's bowling coach, openly supported Abhishek Sharma in the press conference. he said,

“Abhishek is a world-class player. Luckily, there were guys standing up with Abhishek obviously not scoring the runs he would like. But we’re going through a very important phase of the World Cup now and I’m pretty sure he’s going to deliver. Not so much just for the team, but also for all the viewers watching the game, because he’s entertaining and we love to see that. So, yeah, I’m pretty sure [he’ll turn it around]; he’s hitting the ball well in the nets. It’s just a matter of getting that start and getting his innings going."

Well, Abhishek did manage to hit some clean shots later. But his body language did not radiate confidence when he walked out from the nets. Notably, India will be facing South Africa on February 22, as all eyes will be on Abhishek Sharma for his comeback.