India’s opening batsman Abhishek Sharma has finally been discharged from the hospital, but his spot in the T20 World Cup clash against Namibia remains a massive question mark. After a 48-hour battle with a severe stomach pain and high fever, the left-hander is finally out of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, but as team India prepares to take on Namibia today, the ‘Men in Blue’ find themselves facing a major identity crisis at the top of the order.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, teammate Tilak Varma was cautious. “Abhishek’s out of the hospital now,” Varma noted, “but we’re honestly still waiting to see if he can handle the intensity of a match tomorrow.”
How and When Sharma Fell ill
The health problems are said to have started in Mumbai on February 6, after the batter ate something that upset his stomach. Feeling ill, Sharma still played in India’s T20 World Cup first match against the USA on February 7,
But his physical state obviously affected his game, as he was out for a duck off two balls and he did not go out in the second innings with Sanju Samson coming on as a substitute fielder. When the team reached Delhi, his condition got worse with high fever and severe dehydration symptoms, which resulted in his admission to Ganga Ram Hospital on Monday, February 10.
Discharge and Current Condition
The good news as of Thursday morning February 12 is that Abhishek has been officially discharged from the hospital in New Delhi.
After Sharma’s hospital stay for two days at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, teammate Tilak Varma confirmed that the player is “doing well”. However, he is not yet 100% fit for the game.
The virus was brutal. By the time he walked out of Ganga Ram Hospital, the usually sturdy opener looked significantly leaner, a clear sign of the toll the dehydration had taken on his body.
He is no longer in the hospital, but he still is in the medical staff’s close watch. He has even brought in his personal trainer to Delhi to speed up his recovery in terms of strength.
Today’s Match Against Namibia
The team’s management including Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir will be making a crucial decision for today’s game against Namibia that will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium at 6:00 PM (IST).
A final decision will be made at the last moment before the toss after the player’s fitness is checked.
In case Sharma is ruled out, Sanju Samson will replace him and open the innings with Ishan Kishan.
High-Stake Match Against Pakistan
The main worry for BCCI and head coach Gautam Gambhir is not the game against Namibia, but the big and high-pressure match against Pakistan is in Colombo on February 15.
Since his debut, Sharma has been part of India’s T20 team scoring 1,297 runs at an unbelievable strike rate of almost 190. Everyone, the fans as well as the management is looking forward to him getting well soon so that he can lead the opening batting for the top-order battle of the World Cup this Sunday.
