Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 17 (ANI): Former cricketer Sanjay Bangar has opened up on World No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma's attacking mindset, highlighting his high backlift, which gives the Indian opener Abhishek excellent reach to the ball.

'First of all, it's his attacking mindset. If there's a delivery outside the off stump, he hits it very hard. One very important aspect of his batting is his high backlift. He holds the bat above the handle, which gives him excellent reach. Because of the swing he generates, he can hit big sixes, especially over the covers. Hitting sixes over the covers is a special ability. He doesn't try to hit from below, which gives him an incredible range,' JioStar expert Bangar said on Game Plan.

Bangar also shed light on the importance of Hardik Pandya's impact with bat and ball.

'Going deep inside the crease is Hardik Pandya's specialty. Even when he goes that deep, his weight remains on the front foot, which is a very good thing. As a batter, we always encourage waiting for the ball. He plays with a very wide base, which allows him to generate a lot of power. He can play front-foot shots, back-foot shots, baseball-style hits, full shots and the upper cut. He opens up both sides of the ground, which is a special ability.'

'He bowls at around 132-133 kmph with a fuller length, where close to 54% of his deliveries are pitched up, and he gets wickets from there. He allows the ball to swing, and when required, he goes for the yorker as well. The Indian team has benefited immensely from his ability,' Bangar added.

On India T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill who is struggling with his form in the shortest format, Banger said that Gill faces trouble against the straight deliveries, and his strike rate has fallen. 'In the beginning, his footwork was very positive. But if you remove three or four boundaries over 28 games, the issue has been on straighter lines. Against straight deliveries, his strike rate has fallen quite low.'

'Outside the off stump, his (Gill's) strike rate is good, but there have been a few edges as well. Overall, he has scored runs, but straight-line play is something he will want to improve. In the second game, the ball that got him out was a very good delivery--it could have dismissed any batter. His footwork has improved, and if he continues to play with clear footwork, he will be able to hit the same shots consistently, like the three or four boundaries we've seen,' Bangar said.

In the ongoing T20I five-match series against South Africa, Gill has scored 32 runs in three games at a poor average of 10.37.

Meanwhile, Indian all-rounder Axar Patel was ruled out of the remaining two T20I matches of the five-match series against South Africa due to illness, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Monday. The BCCI said in its statement that the star all-rounder will be with the Indian side in Lucknow and he will undergo further medical assessment.

In place of Axar Patel, the BCCI Men's Selection Committee named Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement for the remaining T20I matches against South Africa in Lucknow and Ahmedabad.

The fourth T20I between India and South Africa will be held at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on December 17. The fifth and final T20I between the two countries will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on December 19.

India has a 2-1 lead in the ongoing five-match series. (ANI)