T20 World Cup: Dinesh Karthik Believes Sanju Samson's Redemption Will Bring Relief To Abhishek Sharma's Struggles

India vs England T20 World Cup: Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik suggests that Sanju Samson's impressive form could alleviate the pressure on struggling opener Abhishek Sharma ahead of India's T20 World Cup semi-final against England.

India will face England in the second semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, with the winner advancing to the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on March 8.

Samson's unbeaten 97 against West Indies was a “tour de force”, guiding India to a thrilling 5-wicket win and securing a spot in the T20 World Cup semifinals.

Karthik believes Samson's ability to take control at the top order will provide Abhishek with the necessary breathing space to regain his tempo.

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“I would really like him to believe that the fact that Sanju is batting the way he is eases the pressure on him, which will eventually bring the best out of him. At the end of the day, when you have someone like Sanju batting with you, you’re not trying to outdo him or outmatch him. It’s a team game,” Karthik said on JioStar Media Day.

"He knows the role Sanju is playing, which is to get the team off to a flyer, something Abhishek is very good at doing as well. I would like to think Abhishek will feel a little lighter in his approach and belief in his game, knowing what Sanju and Ishan Kishan have been doing so far in this tournament," he added.

Despite being the top-ranked T20 batter entering the tournament, Abhishek struggled to make an impact, scoring only 80 runs in six matches at an average of 13.33 and a strike rate of 131.14.

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While some cricket pundits advocate a more careful approach, Karthik believes Abhishek should trust his intuitions and find his own way out of this slump.

"In a situation like this, where he (Abhishek) feels he needs to take a few balls before he can launch, I think he has the luxury and privilege to do it...He has earned the right to do that because we all know how good he can be once he gets set. If he feels that’s what he requires to get a big score, why not?" Karthik added.