T20 World Cup 2026: Sunil Gavaskar Calls for Abhishek Sharma to be Dropped for T20 Final

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has suggested a major change in India’s playing XI ahead of the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 against the New Zealand national cricket team. Gavaskar has urged the team management to drop opening batter Abhishek Sharma from the lineup, citing the player’s inconsistent performances during the tournament. With the high-stakes final scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad, team selection has become a key topic of discussion among analysts and former cricketers.

Abhishek Sharma has struggled to deliver consistent performances in the tournament so far. The left-handed opener has scored only 80 runs across matches in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, with his only notable contribution being a 55-run knock against Zimbabwe. Apart from that innings, the young batter has found it difficult to make an impact at the top of the order. His lack of form has raised concerns ahead of the crucial final.

Speaking about the issue, Gavaskar said the opener had not shown the improvement expected at this stage of the competition. According to the former India captain, the team cannot afford to carry an out-of-form player in a match of such importance. Gavaskar’s remarks reflect the growing pressure on the Indian team management to make the right selection decisions before the final. The comment "He hasn’t learned” highlighted Gavaskar’s frustration with the player’s repeated mistakes.

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India’s team selection is currently overseen by head coach Gautam Gambhir, who is working with the management to finalise the playing XI for the decisive clash. The final will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where thousands of fans are expected to watch the high-voltage encounter. India will enter the match as defending champions and will be aiming to retain the T20 World Cup title.

Apart from the opening slot, Gavaskar also weighed in on India’s bowling combination. The legendary batter suggested that wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav should be preferred over mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy for the final. According to him, Kuldeep’s experience and ability to control the middle overs could prove valuable against a strong New Zealand batting lineup.

With the final approaching, discussions around team selection continue to intensify among fans and experts. India will be looking to put together the strongest possible lineup to overcome New Zealand in the tournament decider. The clash is expected to be a high-pressure encounter as both teams aim to lift the prestigious ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy.

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