NEW DELHI: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri feels India's fortunes at next month's T20 World Cup could hinge on the form of attacking opener Abhishek Sharma, insisting the team will "take off" if the left-hander clicks at the top. Kevin Pietersen, meanwhile, was equally effusive, labelling the youngster a "proper star" after his latest show of power.

Abhishek underlined his growing reputation with another breathtaking assault in the series opener against New Zealand in Nagpur, smashing a 35-ball 84 studded with eight sixes and five fours. His blistering knock set the tone for India's commanding 48-run victory and further cemented his status as one of the most destructive batters in the shortest format.

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"Abhishek, without a shadow of a doubt. (He's the) No. 1 T20 batsman in the world (and is) in a rich vein of form," Shastri said when asked who would be the most impactful player in the upcoming T20 global showpiece beginning on February 7.

"Last evening (on Wednesday), he took the game away from New Zealand. You've got to watch out for him because his confidence level is high."

"He'll be backed by the home crowd and if he takes off, it means India take off," he said at an event to mark the launch of partnership between Marriott Bonvoy and the ICC.

Shastri stressed that both coaches and players must be open to criticism, adding that it should be taken in the right spirit and used constructively rather than negatively.

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"I prefer criticism that is constructive (and) when I became a broadcaster, I said I've divorced the dressing room and I will speak on what I see. It doesn't matter if you were my colleague or you were my friend when I was playing the game," he said.

"But that's something you expect. In my tenure, there were good moments and there were rough moments. You just have to take it in your stride because you know there is another game coming up."

"One day you are in a pole position. The next day you are in a troll position. That can happen. But in a week, you can see all three. You can be in pole, troll, again pole," he added.

Pietersen bats for Brevis

Pietersen singled out South Africa's Dewald Brevis as the first name that came to his mind when asked to identify the player who could have the biggest impact at the T20 World Cup.

"Dewald Brevis, for South Africa. He again played another incredible innings last night. A couple of days ago, I was calling the game in Johannesburg where his team, the Pretoria Capitals, led by (Sourav) Ganguly, was struggling," he said.

"They were 7/5 (against Joburg Super Kings) and Brevis went (in) and batted for 15 overs and they got to a winning total of 140 or 150 (143/6)."

Pietersen said Brevis showed he is more than a one-trick pony of only trying to hit sixes.

"(Now) that's something Brevis has always come under criticism for, that he's just a one-trick pony. He stands there, and he just tries to hit six after six after six. I said on commentary, that could be the making of Brevis, so from that point of view, he's in that (list) just because I'm seeing him a lot at the moment," Pietersen said.

However, the great England batter returned to Abhishek, terming him a "proper star".

"Remember when Abhishek got that 150 (135 off 54 balls; 7 fours, 13 sixes) against England at the Wankhede (Stadium) last year... We interviewed him after the game.

"I just put my hand on his shoulder and I said, ‘young man, that is the best T20 innings I've ever seen in international cricket'. That kid is a proper star," he said.

Pietersen was also aware of Abhishek's fireworks in the opening T20I against the Kiwis.

"When you know he's batting, you turn the TV on," he added.

Pietersen, however, said it will be a "very big shout" to say England would win the T20 World Cup given how they are playing.

"The way England is playing, that's a very big shout," he said.

(With PTI Inputs)