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‘The problem lies in his…’: Irfan Pathan reveals how Abhishek Sharma can break free from slump | Cricket News

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‘The problem lies in his…’: Irfan Pathan reveals how Abhishek Sharma can break free from slump
Abhishek Sharma (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: As defending champions India prepare for a high-stakes Super 8 showdown against South Africa in Ahmedabad, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan has pinpointed the technical and tactical adjustments Abhishek Sharma must make to overcome his alarming slump at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Abhishek Sharma is back and India to unravel a mystery slinger

Abhishek, the world’s No. 1 T20I batter, has endured a nightmare run, registering a hat-trick of ducks and struggling particularly against off-spin. Pathan believes the root cause lies in the opener’s shot selection and approach rather than his natural technique.

India fire on all cylinders in the nets ahead of South Africa match

“Abhishek Sharma is getting out to off-spinners. Against Pakistan and the Netherlands, off-spinners got him. The problem lies in his shot selection,” Pathan said on JioHotstar.Explaining the flaw, Pathan noted that Abhishek is trying to dominate too early instead of settling in.“His bat comes down from a high angle, and he is not looking to hit straight. He is trying to play across the wicket. That is getting him into trouble,” he said. “He moves his front foot away to create room, but bowlers are not giving him room. These are not drivable balls.”

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However, Pathan warned against drastic changes, urging the youngster to trust his natural game while making smarter decisions.“His bat angle is coming across, which is natural to him. He does not need to change that. If he tries to change it now, it will be a mess,” he explained. “First things first, get a single, get off the mark. Expect the spinner to come in, get to the other end, and target the fast bowlers. He does not need to bludgeon from the first ball.”While Abhishek has struggled, Pathan reserved glowing praise for fellow opener Ishan Kishan, who has been one of the tournament’s standout performers.“Ishan Kishan is in the form of his life. He is playing the leg side really well. He targets square-leg and fine-leg,” Pathan said. “If you give him leg-side deliveries at the start, it’s trouble.”But he also issued a word of caution ahead of the South Africa test.“Against South Africa, I want to see what Kishan does when they bowl wide and make him play on the off-side early. He has improved a lot, but only after getting set,” he added.

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Indian Wells 2026 final: Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev preview, head-to-head, odds, betting tips, and prediction

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Match Details

Fixture: (2) Jannik Sinner vs (11) Daniil Medvedev

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Date: March 15, 2026

Tournament: BNP Paribas Open 2026

Round: Final

Category: Masters 1000

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Venue: Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Indian Wells, California, USA

Surface: Hard (outdoor)

Prize Money: $9,415,725

Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN, TVA Sports, DAZN

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Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev preview

Jannik Sinner- Indian Wells - Source: GettyJannik Sinner- Indian Wells - Source: Getty
Jannik Sinner- Indian Wells – Source: Getty

Second seed Jannik Sinner will face 11th seed Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells final. Whoever wins will be the first male singles champion from their respective countries at the Masters 1000 event.

Sinner has won 12 out of 14 matches so far this season, currently enjoying his first final run at a tournament in 2026. The Italian previously competed at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open, reaching the semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively. Sinner is yet to drop a set in Indian Wells, beating the likes of Dalibor Svrcina, Denis Shapovalov, Joao Fonseca, and Alexander Zverev en route to the final.

Apart from his fourth-round match against Fonseca that ended 7-6(6), 7-6(4), Sinner wasn’t really pushed in any of his other fixtures. The Italian has dropped 28 games so far in Indian Wells.

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Medvedev’s win-loss record a day before last year’s Indian Wells final was 12-6. Fast forward a year, and the Russian has won 18 out of 21 matches so far in 2026 and is competing in the final of the Masters 1000 event. He has had an incredible start to the season and has already won two titles in Brisbane and Dubai.

Like Sinner, Medvedev is also yet to drop a single set in Indian Wells and has dropped just 25 games so far. The Russian reached the semifinals after defeating Alejandro Tabilo, Sebastian Baez, Alex Michelsen, and defending champion Jack Draper. Here, he beat Carlos Alcaraz for the first time since the 2023 US Open to reach his third Indian Wells final.

Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev head-to-head

Sinner had a narrow 8-7 head-to-head lead between the two, winning eight of their last nine fixtures. Their most recent encounter came in the round robin of the 2024 ATP Finals, with the Italian winning 6-3, 6-4.

Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev odds

Player Moneyline Handicap Bets Total Games (Over and Under)
Jannik Sinner -425 -1.5 (-165) Over 21.5 (-115)
Daniil Medvedev +333 +1.5 (+115) Under 21.5 (-125)

All odds sourced from BETMGM.

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Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev prediction

Sinner will enter the match as the favorite to win but Medvedev will be high on confidence after defeating Alcaraz, and there is a very good chance of him giving the Italian a run for his money.

Sinner has won 136 out of 162 points (~83.9%) on his first serve so far in Indian Wells, serving 41 aces. The Italian has amassed 110 winners compared to just 32 unforced errors, and has won 33 out of 39 points (~84.6%) at the net. Sinner’s enormous amount of success over the past couple of years has been attributed to his tennis as well as his mentality, so Medvedev will have to be at his best.

The Russian’s first-serve numbers in Indian Wells have been decent but not as good as Sinner’s, winning 132 out of 174 points (~75.9%) and amassing 28 aces. He has produced 90 winners and 88 unforced errors while winning 22 out of 28 (~78.6%) points at the net.

Medvedev’s style has always centered around efficiency, and that is probably what his plans will be in the final. That said, he has to be careful not to serve too many unforced errors.

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While Medvedev is in impressive form. Sinner’s composure seems tough to break, and the Italian should manage to come out on top and become only the second Indian Wells singles champion from his country, the first being Flavia Pennetta.

Pick: Sinner to win in three sets.

Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev betting tips

Tip 1: Both players to serve over ten aces each.

Tip 2: Two sets to go to tiebreaks.

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