Sports, Feb 11: India opener Abhishek Sharma has been hospitalised with a stomach infection and is unlikely to feature in India’s upcoming T20 World Cup fixture against Namibia on February 11.
The 25-year-old has been admitted to a private hospital in Delhi for the past two days, where medical tests are being conducted to assess the severity of the infection. A source in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that his participation in the next match remains uncertain.
“Abhishek has been admitted to a private hospital in Delhi due to a stomach infection. Some tests are being done to ascertain the problem. It is still not clear whether he will be discharged today. But the match against Namibia looks doubtful as of now,” the source said.
Abhishek endured a disappointing start to the tournament, registering a duck against the United States in India’s opening game in Mumbai on Saturday. He did not take further part in the match, with Sanju Samson stepping in as his replacement on the field.
Although India face Namibia next, the team management is also closely monitoring the situation ahead of the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan on February 15 at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. With conditions in Colombo expected to differ significantly, the availability of key players has assumed added importance.
A stomach infection can affect stamina and endurance, raising concerns over Abhishek’s ability to travel on Friday, participate in training on Saturday and be fully prepared for Sunday’s encounter.
In the interim, Sanju Samson has been preparing as a backup option. He spent considerable time in the nets on Tuesday and worked closely with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, signalling that contingency plans are in place should Abhishek fail to recover in time. Despite the setback, the Indian team management remains hopeful that the opener will regain fitness ahead of the high-profile fixture against Pakistan.
It is learnt that Abhishek had attended a dinner hosted by head coach Gautam Gambhir at his residence on Sunday but left early, reportedly due to discomfort.
