New Delhi, Oct 5 — Abhishek Sharma has revealed that his preparation for international cricket increasingly involves trying to anticipate the plans of opposing bowlers, with the India opener using video analysis and hypothetical match-ups to prepare for the challenges posed by world-class attacks.
Speaking ahead of India’s new home season against the West Indies, Abhishek explained that his aggressive batting is accompanied by detailed planning designed to ensure he is ready when bowlers refuse to give him his preferred scoring options.
“It’s not like I just go and hit. I know there are world-class bowlers, world-class teams ahead, and they won’t give away easy runs, and they won’t easily let me hit the shots I want to play. But as a player, I feel this is my responsibility, that I think about what they are thinking,” Abhishek said on JioStar.
The left-hander said he has recently been working with his video analyst by reversing the perspective and imagining himself as part of the opposition trying to devise a plan against him.
“Recently, I’ve been talking with my video analyst that, ‘If you were in the other team, probably, just imagine you’ve been working with the Afghanistan team right now, then what plans would you keep for me as a bowler?’ So, I asked him that, took videos from him. So, I keep preparing myself, that they won’t bowl where I want. I will have to make some adjustments. They are not going to give you easy runs. So, I prepare myself like that,” he added.
Abhishek, one of the prominent performers in India’s recent Asian Games triumph, will once again be expected to provide aggression at the top of the order.