India's opener Abhishek Sharma's wonderful run in the ongoing Asia Cup has made him a strong contender to be a part of India's ODI setup for the series against Australia.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source
Team India is set to travel to Australia next month for a white-ball series which involves a total of 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is, starting on October 19th.
Abhishek Sharma to earn an ODI call-up for India?
With his consistent performances and dominating display, opening the innings for India at the Asia Cup, Abhishek has become one of the biggest talking points of the ongoing continental event.
As per the Times of India, the southpaw, with his exceptional run, has managed to impress those who matter, and he might be rewarded with an ODI call-up very soon.
Sharma is currently the highest run-scorer in the Asia Cup. The Indian opener has scored 173 runs in his 4 innings at the continental event. His most recent knock of 74 against Pakistan helped India seal a victory over their arch-rivals.
The batting all-rounder from Punjab also carries a very impressive List A record. In 61 matches, he has amassed 2014 runs at an average of more than 35. He has additionally picked up 38 wickets, bowling slow left-arm spin, which adds to his case.
Reportedly, his knock against Pakistan assured the decision makers of his abilities to perform under crunch situations and tilted things in his favor.
Who will make way for Abhishek Sharma?
If the 25-year-old opener is included in the ODI setup, the big question that arises is - 'Who will make way for the batter from Punjab?'
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill opened the innings for India when the side last featured in a 50-over game at the ICC Champions Trophy, way back in March this year.
With Gill being looked at as the future Indian captain, his place in the side is sealed. In such a scenario, if Abhishek comes in, he would probably replace India's current ODI skipper Rohit Sharma.
While Rohit mentioned that he wants to continue playing the 50-over format, his place in the side is not assured, with reports suggesting that the Indian management is not looking at the veteran in their 2027 ICC World Cup plans.
With India's next ODI series just a few weeks away, the squad for the same is expected to be announced very soon, which would provide more clarity on the matter.
RELATED LINKS:
- Who will win the Asia Cup 2025? Latest odds, favourites
- Asia Cup 2025: TV channel, online live stream, and how to watch the T20 tournament from India
- How to bet online on cricket in India and the most trusted sites
- All the latest cricket news
- 2025 Asia Cup schedule, fixtures, match times, latest results, and points table
- Asia Cup 2025 highest wicket-takers: Top 5 bowlers with most wickets in the T20 tournament in the UAE
- Asia Cup 2025 highest run scorers: Top 5 batters with the most runs in the T20 tournament in the UAE