Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes that if Abhishek Sharma can continue his good run of form with the bat in the upcoming T20I series against Australia, he can neutralise the threat posed by Josh Hazlewood.
Speaking on Star Sports, Nayar explained Abhishek’s impact on the game.
“If Abhishek Sharma is in form, Hazlewood will be out of form,” he said. “The way he bats, he is known to hit the first ball for a four or a six. If you instil fear in the powerplay, it continues throughout the innings. That is Abhishek Sharma’s impact on the game. If he bats for six overs, India will score between 60 and 80 runs. It will ease the pressure on his batting partner, while increasing it for the opposition.”
Abhishek recently had a fantastic Asia Cup 2025, where he was the highest run-scorer of the tournament, amassing 314 runs in seven matches at an average of 44.85, which included three fifties. His strike rate throughout the tournament was 200.
Nayar believes that the Australian bowlers, especially Hazlewood with his ability to extract extra bounce, will be a big test for the young Indian left-hander.
“It will be a big test for him, especially against Hazlewood, who is in good rhythm and extracting extra bounce. However, I feel that he has gained enough experience by playing in the IPL and in South Africa,” he said.
The first T20I of the five-match series will be played at Manuka Oval in Canberra on October 29.
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