India's batters surprised by extra bounce: Abhishek Sharma

Melbourne, Oct 31 (PTI) Young opener Abhishek Sharma admitted that India's batting unit was caught slightly off guard by the extra bounce and disciplined bowling in Australian conditions after a testing T20I match here on Friday.

Playing his maiden international series in Australia, Abhishek said the visitors had anticipated pace and bounce but were still surprised by how effectively the home bowlers exploited the conditions during the second match of the series.

The left-handed opener emerged top-scorer for the visitors with a fighting 68-run knock but Australia romped home by four wickets.

"The challenge is that a lot of players, including me, are on their first tour here. We knew about the extra bounce and pace, but still the way they bowled, surprised us," Abhishek said at the post-match press conference.

"They were very disciplined with their line and length, and credit goes to them." The left-hander, who opened the innings, said the team's aggressive top-order plan had to be adjusted once wickets began to fall early.

"Our plan was to dominate up front, but it was a little unexpected for us. When wickets are falling in front of you, no matter who the batter is, you have to play for the team. The wicket was difficult, it wasn't easy to hit shots," he said.

Abhishek praised his lower-order partner Harshit Rana for showing composure and adaptability under pressure. They added 56 runs for the sixth wicket.

"I knew Harshit could bat — he hits sixes off me a lot in the nets. He told me, 'let's play a little normal', and that helped. The right-left combination worked well, and that's why he went up the order ahead of Shivam Dube." Reflecting on his fearless approach with the bat, the 24-year-old said it is because of confidence instilled in him by the team management.

"When I play, I try to bring the bowler under pressure. This approach has its ups and downs, but my captain and coach have always supported me," he said.

"They are clear that I should play my natural game, and when they say that, it gives me confidence." He also spoke about his development since his earlier stints with the national team.

"After the Zimbabwe series, I was over thinking a bit. But when the captain and coach said they wanted me to play freely, it became clear in my mind. When I play my shots and the team wins, I enjoy it more," he said.

Abhishek said he enjoyed the challenge of facing Australia's pace attack on lively surfaces.

"As a batter, you want to face world-class bowlers. Some of the deliveries even surprised me — I haven't seen something like that in T20s before. But I was enjoying the challenge," he said.

The Punjab batter also took a moment to praise the Indian women's team for their stupendous win over Australia in the Women's World Cup in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.

"We were all watching their match. The way Jemimah, Harman and Smriti batted with maturity and teamwork was inspiring. They really deserve that trophy," he said. PTI AT AT AH AH