T20 World Cup: ‘Don’t over-analyse’ – batting coach Sitanshu Kotak’s take on Abhishek Sharma’s lean run

Abhishek’s lack of runs is not a concern, the batting coach claimed.

“We unnecessarily don’t over-analyse. Sometimes you start making more assumptions than the opposition. He (Abhishek) has got his plan sorted and plays the way he wants to. Obviously, we discuss the opposition, their bowling, their strengths, and whatever they have been doing in the last few games,” Kotak said.

He dwelled on the runs Abhishek made in the build-up to the World Cup. “In the T20 format, sometimes even a 10-ball 30 is equally important. So it’s not like he was out of runs. T20 is a high-risk game. One or the other player will get out. If we start stressing too much, players will feel unnecessary pressure. He (Abhishek) is in good form and has a clear mindset. That is what matters for us.”

Wednesday’s match would be India’s eighth in 27 days, travelling across the country and also hopping across the Palk Strait for the Pakistan game. But the players are fresh, Kotak stressed.

“Everyone is in a good space. It’s really about the way the team is getting together, the way players have been interacting with each other,” he said.

“I see positive signs, not only in the World Cup, but for a long time. Apart from one or two changes, it’s more or less the same team we have been playing for the last 10-15 games. It’s a great environment.”

However, there may not be much change in the XI against the underdogs. “I don’t think there will be any experiments. We want to have the same momentum,” he said.

“From the start of this World Cup, we have seen that any team can beat anybody. They have some very good players as well.”