“An absolute left-field thought could be whether to consider Abhishek Sharma for the World Cup” – Aakash Chopra

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has picked Abhishek Sharma as a player to watch out for against RCB on Thursday. Sharma has been in scintillating form in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2024 while opening for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Abhishek has scored 257 runs in seven matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad at a blistering strike rate of 215.97. The southpaw has opened with Travis Head and has followed the footsteps of the Australian batter as both of them have adopted an aggressive approach.

Sharma scored a whirlwind knock of 46 runs off just 12 balls in the last game against the Delhi Capitals at a strike rate of 383.33.

“The first ones are the two openers. You don’t wish to go away from them – one is Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma comes along with him. Both are incredible. The truth is that Travis Head is hitting a lot, and hogging the limelight and the headlines but Abhishek Sharma is not behind,” Aakash Chopra said while previewing SRH match against RCB.

“His (Abhishek’s) strike rate is even better than Travis Head’s. The difference is that Head scored a century and an eighty, so he captures your imagination a little more, but Abhishek Sharma is playing very well. An absolute left-field thought could be whether to consider Abhishek Sharma for the World Cup,” the former India opener added.

Chopra believes Sharma will not be picked for the T20 World Cup but added that RCB could bowl bouncers against Travis Head.

“His name might not come there, I will be very realistic, but what difference does it make? These two players – Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma – one plus one is not two but 11. What can be done to stop them? I would still say you can bowl bouncers to Head,” he stated.

“You will have Lockie Ferguson, so you can try stopping him with bouncers. You can bring spin at the start. You can get Will Jacks to bowl. Those are things that you should try. Don’t accept defeat. You can only stop them by getting them out,” the cricketer-turned-commentator added.

While picking other SRH players to watch out for, Chopra selected in-form Heinrich Klaasen.

“Heinrich Klaasen is an obvious suspect. When he comes, he plays in such a way that he turns the match. He plays very few balls and even gets promoted in the batting order. He bats at a different level while batting first. So Heinrich Klaasen is the third guy,” he reasoned.

SRH will host RCB at Hyderabad on Thursday.