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India opener Abhishek Sharma sustained an injury scare ahead of the second T20I against England after twisting his ankle during a catching drill at the nets on Friday. The incident occurred in Chennai, where the left-hander was assessed by the team physiotherapist before retreating to the dressing room to rest his ankle.
Abhishek, who played a pivotal role in India's seven-wicket victory in the first match in Kolkata with a brisk 79, was seen limping slightly while making his way back to the pavilion. He did not bat during the practice session and spent over half an hour receiving treatment from the physio.
If he is unable to feature in Saturday’s match, India could consider Washington Sundar or Dhruv Jurel as replacements. In such a scenario, Tilak Varma may move up the order to open the innings alongside Sanju Samson. India currently leads the five-match series 1-0 after their commanding win in Kolkata.
Meanwhile, India spinner Varun Chakravarthy has emphasized the high standards of domestic tournaments like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), equating its level of competition to that of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He encouraged more players to participate in the tournament to sharpen their skills in the T20 format.
Chakravarthy, who played a crucial role in India's victory in the first T20I by claiming three wickets, echoed the views of head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, both of whom have advocated for increased focus on domestic cricket.
"The level of domestic cricket is extremely high. I would say almost on par with IPL and the other international matches we play. So, I would suggest everyone to play the Syed Mushtaq Ali because we play on small grounds. It is very challenging,” said Chakravarthy in a pre-match press conference.
Several senior players, including India captain Rohit Sharma and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, have also participated in the Ranji Trophy, reinforcing the importance of domestic cricket in India’s cricketing framework.
"I find it very tough playing SMAT. It has definitely helped me to get better, be more instinctive, be on my toes and think correctly at the right moment,” Chakravarthy added.