New Delhi: 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 a stomach infection. Some tests are being done to ascertain the problem. It is still not clear whether he will be discharged today. But the match against Namibia looks doubtful as of now,” a BCCI source said.
According to Times of India, Abhishek ran a high temperature during the match at Wankhede Stadium and was administered drips for immediate relief. While the Indian camp initially described the issue as a stomach upset, the report suggested that the infection had significantly dented his chances of featuring in India’s next game.
“Abhi still has a few issues with his tummy. We’re hopeful he’ll be available for the game in two days,” assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said during a media interaction on Tuesday.
Despite being unwell, Abhishek travelled with the squad to Delhi, but his condition reportedly worsened over the last 24 hours. He was also seen at head coach Gautam Gambhir’s residence on February 8, when the team gathered for a special dinner ahead of the Namibia fixture, though his recovery remained uncertain.
In Abhishek’s absence at training on Tuesday, Samson was the first batter to take the nets. The wicketkeeper-batter, who struggled for form during the recent home series against New Zealand and slipped behind Ishan Kishan in the pecking order, looked scratchy against Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya. Samson also received treatment on his left arm during the session.
“We’re waiting on Abhi’s fitness more than anything, and that will open up a few different combinations,” ten Doeschate added.
A clearer picture on Abhishek’s availability is expected after India’s final training session in Delhi on Wednesday.
