India’s T20I opener Abhishek Sharma spoke candidly about handling criticism at the India Today Conclave, admitting that “it does feel bad when there is criticism.” He noted that such reactions are natural in India, adding that “people have a lot of expectations from you.”
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 began on a difficult note for the current top-ranked T20I batter, who registered three consecutive ducks in the tournament’s early stages.
Discussing that challenging period, Abhishek revealed that senior members of the squad stepped in to help him manage the pressure created by external commentary.
He shared, “After I scored three ducks, Surya, GG sir and Hardik Pandya came to me and said, ‘Phone pakad, social media hata abhi ke abhi [take your phone and uninstall social media right now].”
The opener said he acted on the advice without delay, explaining that it helped him regain his concentration. “That was the first thing I did after my second zero. That actually helped me a bit. I was getting a lot of suggestions and comments from people,” he explained.
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While acknowledging the disappointment that comes with criticism, Abhishek stressed that it remains an inherent part of a cricketer’s career. “That’s how a cricketer’s life is. You have to listen and you will be criticised. All you can do is listen and ignore. That is because people have a lot of expectations from you. Sometimes you deliver and sometimes you don’t. I expected this.”
He eventually concluded the tournament with 141 runs from eight matches, striking at 158.42 and averaging 17.62, including two half-centuries.
