3rd T20I: It all depends on the process I’ve been doing before every series, says Abhishek

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) Dynamic opener Abhishek Sharma, who lit up the third T20I against Afghanistan by hitting a breath-taking 108 off just 34 balls at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, believes his explosive form at the top of the order is a direct result of meticulous, bowler-specific preparation, while adding that “one or two bad series” will not alter the team’s aggressive batting template.

Abhishek, who now holds the record for the fastest men’s T20I fifty by an Indian batter and the quickest ton by a batter from a Full Member nation, was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series in India’s 3-0 T20I series win over Afghanistan, coming via a thumping 127-run triumph.

“I feel it all depends on the process I’ve been doing before every series. It’s just, it’s very particular for me against whom I’m gonna play and who are gonna be the bowlers. So for personally me as a batter, it’s always been about the process: how I’m gonna utilise the power play, who is gonna bowl me the power play, and then the seventh, eighth over. It’s very specific for me,” Abhishek said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Dismissing concerns over occasional failures, Abhishek stated that the squad remains united in its long-term goal of dominating opponents across all conditions. “I mean, I’ve told in the first interview as well, because we have been doing this for the last two years, and I told this before as well, one or two bad series won’t define us as a batting department, because we wanted to dominate throughout the whole year before the World Cup, and no matter who, against whom we are playing.

“But I feel as a batter, as a cricketer, sometimes it’s gonna go up and down. But it’s the team dressing room momentum and the way we all think about it. I feel that’s very important, because that’s the time we have to be in one unit and just focus on the next game and just keep on dominating,” he added.

Crediting the Indian team management for providing clarity and freedom, Abhishek further spoke about the importance of clear communication from the team leadership in consistently executing a high-risk playing style.

“I feel once you want to play in this certain way, it’s very important that the captain and the coach has to be on your side, because, I mean, you have to get that surety from the management and from the coaches and from the captain as well. So I feel it’s because of them as well we’ve been doing this from, like, quite a few years now, and hopefully we’re gonna continue this as well,” he noted.

On his ability to score all around the park, something which has been on display in the series, Abhishek reiterated his ‘seeing and hitting’ strategy. “I feel it’s, for me, I feel I don’t want to restrict any area. It’s just watch the ball and play according to it. For me it’s very simple, from day one.

“I just want to go and express myself, and I don’t want to force the ball. It’s just I just want to see and hit it, and it’s gonna be very simple for me for the upcoming every matches as well.

“But as I’ve said before as well, you can’t be sure about all the time that you’re gonna be doing really well. But I feel the culture we’ve been developing in our team, it’s just we have to dominate and we have to use the power play, so it’s going really well,” he explained.

Abhishek also shared a light moment during the presentation, acknowledging a fan in the stands: “Happy birthday to whoever is there (in the crowd).”

–IANS

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