India, Feb. 21 -- India can afford to keep faith in Abhishek Sharma because the tournament hasn't punished them for it yet. Three ducks in three appearances is a brutal headline for any opener. However, India still walked into the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2026 unbeaten, which is exactly why the conversation has shifted from survival to timing.

The timing is where Ravi Shastri has planted his flag. Speaking on the ICC Review, Shastri argued India shouldn't treat Abhishek's run of zeros as a crisis, but as a warning sign for everyone else - because a quiet powerplay weapon can turn into the loudest problem once the knockouts begin.

"I look at it as a positive that Abhishek Sharma has got three zeroes. So, save your best for the impor...