Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary believes young opener Abhishek Sharma has already achieved early stardom but must start delivering match-winning performances if he wants to reach the level of a true superstar. Tiwary shared his thoughts after Abhishek endured another underwhelming outing in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Abhishek’s tournament has been far from smooth. During the group stage, the left-hander struggled with illness and endured a difficult run that included three consecutive ducks. His problems continued into the Super 8 stage, where he managed only 15 runs during India’s heavy defeat to the South Africa national cricket team.
There was a brief sign of recovery when Abhishek struck a half-century against the Zimbabwe national cricket team. However, consistency has remained elusive. In the crucial Super 8 clash against the West Indies cricket team, he again failed to convert his start, scoring just 10 runs from 11 balls.
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Abhishek’s dismissal came in the third over of India’s chase when he attempted an aggressive stroke against left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein. With 17 runs already coming off the over, he went for another big shot but failed to clear the boundary, finding Shimron Hetmyer stationed in the deep.
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Manoj Tiwary said Abhishek must raise his standards if he wants to stand out in a competitive Indian lineup. “He has already become a star in such a short time, but if he wants to be a superstar, he has to win games for the team. There is so much competition and so many match-winners, so he has to stay ahead of them.”
Tiwary also pointed out that Abhishek currently enjoys the backing of the team management but needs to value his wicket more.
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“When you don’t put a price on your wicket, then you will play loose shots like that,” he added.
The former batter also noted that Abhishek had an off day overall, including two dropped catches in the field. Despite the criticism, Abhishek could still play a crucial role when India face the England cricket team in the semifinal at Wankhede Stadium.
