Star Indian opener Abhishek Sharma is going through poor form. The southpaw from Punjab did not perform well in the group stage, where he got three ducks in three matches. In the Ahmedabad Super Eight match against South Africa, he got a start but could not play a big innings. He scored 15 runs off 12 balls before getting out to Marco Jansen in the fifth over.

After the match, Abhishek Sharma and teammate and vice-captain Axar Patel were seen visiting the famous Marundeeswarar Temple in Chennai. The visit was made one day before the important India vs Zimbabwe T20 World Cup 2026 match.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed to be a place for healing. The name “Marundeeswarar” means “Lord of Medicines.” People visit the temple to pray for good health and relief from illness. The temple is one of the most important spiritual places in Chennai.

Abhishek Sharma and Axar Patel offered prayers at the famous Marundeeswarar Temple in Tiruvanmiyur.#Cricket #AbhishekSharma #AxarPatel pic.twitter.com/5ZAujhTbRj

— CREX (@Crex_live) February 25, 2026

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Abhishek Sharma Seeks Blessings Amid Tough Phase

The visit of Abhishek Sharma was very important. The left-hand batter was earlier hospitalised due to a stomach infection, and because of this, he missed a group stage match against Namibia. Since then, he has been trying to return to form. With India’s semi-final hopes under pressure, Abhishek went to seek blessings. Before joining the T20 World Cup squad, he had also organised a ‘jagrata’ at his home. After a difficult time in the tournament, he once again turned to prayer for strength and confidence.

Axar Patel’s Situation and Team Strategy

Along with Abhishek, star all-rounder Axar Patel also visited the temple. Even though he is the vice-captain of the Indian team, he was left out of the last match and replaced by off-spinner Washington Sundar. Sundar bowled two overs for 17 runs and did not take a wicket. He also scored 11 runs off 11 balls.

In the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, India played both Axar and Ravindra Jadeja in every match. Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, India won both tournaments without losing a game. This showed that playing your best players is very important for success.

However, Axar bowled for about 30 minutes in the nets yesterday. This suggests that he may return for the Zimbabwe match. In the previous game, Sundar was selected in his place, and many cricket experts did not agree with the decision. From a cricket point of view, the plan was to use off-spin against South Africa’s big hitters Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton in the powerplay. However, the plan did not work.

Abhishek Sharma and Axar Patel's T20I Career

Abhishek Sharma has played 42 T20 International matches and batted in 41 innings. He has scored 1312 runs with a highest score of 135. His average is 33.64, and his strike rate is an impressive 191.25, scoring 1312 runs off just 686 balls. These numbers show that he is an aggressive top-order batter who scores quickly.

On the other hand, Axar Patel has played 90 T20 Internationals. In batting, he has scored 700 runs in 56 innings, with a highest score of 65. He has an average of 18.42 and a strike rate of 134.09. With the ball, Axar has taken 92 wickets in 84 innings. He has bowled 1600 balls, given 1946 runs, and has a bowling average of 21.15. His economy rate is 7.29, and his best bowling figures are 3 wickets for 9 runs. These stats show that Axar is a useful all-rounder who contributes with both bat and ball.