Abhishek Sharma hospitalised with stomach infection, doubtful for Namibia game
Flamboyant Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has been hospitalised with a stomach infection, leaving him doubtful for the T20 World Cup match against Namibia here on Thursday. Abhishek has been hospitalised here for the past two days.
“Abhishek has been admitted to a private hospital in Delhi due to stomach infection. Some tests are being done to ascertain the problem. It is still not clear whether he will be discharged today. But match against Namibia looks doubtful as of now,” a BCCI source said. Abhishek was out for a duck against the USA in the opening game on Saturday in Mumbai and took no further part in the game with Sanju Samson replacing him while fielding.
The priority for India isn’t the Namibia game but the February 15 match against a steadily improving Pakistan team at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo where the strip would be slightly different. A stomach infection is known to affect stamina and endurance and it remains to be seen if Abhishek will be in a position to travel on Friday, train on Saturday and take the field on Sunday.
Samson did bat in the nets on Tuesday and spent a lot of time with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, an indication that the team management is keeping its options ready in case Abhishek fails to regain full fitness. But the Indian team management is hopeful of having him on the park on February 15. It has been learnt that the 25-year-old attended the dinner at head coach Gautam Gambhir’s home here on Sunday but left much earlier than the rest of his teammates.
