The left-handed batter is regarded as one of the most flamboyant openers in T20I cricket at the moment.
Abhishek Sharma is probably one of the most celebrated Indian T20I batters currently, on the back of his consistent performances. There are no two ways about his approach towards the shortest format of the game. The youngster likes taking bowlers to the cleaners, and has been given the freedom to exhibit his style in the same manner.
Over the last few months, the Indian team has shifted its focus from percentage cricket towards a fearless attitude. Though it has got a lot to do with believing in one’s ability and trusting it to the hilt, there would be days when the trade won’t come off. The target for the Blues would be to minimise such days, and to expand the possibility of inculcating fearlessness into the minds of the batters.
As for Abhishek Sharma, his preparation began way back when he was 10-11 years old, with the practice sessions being held in Mohali. Many members of the ground staff remember the youngster, along with his coach who regards him as the only kid who used to clear the boundaries with ultimate ease. Over the years, Abhishek Sharma has grown multiple fold with respect to his game as well as mentality.
Rajkumar Sharma, Abhishek’s father, recently spoke about his son’s preparation over the years. He expressed that there has been years of hard work behind what is visible on the field. He revealed that Abhishek would wake up at 4am each day in order to train, and would only play cricket throughout the day.
“He has done everything he can to constantly improve as a player. His days started at 4am, from gym and exercise to running and swimming. These are things about him that people don’t see. He is constantly playing cricket; if not for India or in IPL, then for Punjab or in their camps”, said his father in an interview.
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The 25-year-old has got tremendous backing by the Indian team, which he has earned on the back of some serious performances. In a recent interview, Abhishek Sharma revealed that skipper Suryakumar Yadav communicated that he would not be dropped even if he had a string of failures.
In just 29 innings in T20I cricket, Abhishek has already surpassed 1,000 runs with an average of 36.75. To add to that, the left-handed opener strikes at 188.46, which is a humongous strike-rate for a batter even in the shortest format. The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) opener grants India with a lot of terrific starts, taking the bowlers for a ride in the powerplay.
His father spoke about how playing golf has helped Abhishek improve his bat swing over the years. Though the youngster from Punjab makes the bowlers fear him, his father has revealed that Abhishek is scared of his mentor Yuvraj Singh. The Indian 2011 World Cup winning all-rounder is very close to Abhishek Sharma and is known to have coached him keenly. Additionally, Abhishek is also in touch with West Indies legend Brian Lara.
“Even now, when he thinks Abhishek has made a mistake, he will pick up the phone and call and scold him. And Abhishek is scared of him too”, revealed Abhishek’s father.
The left-hander can be an x-factor for India, not just with the bat, but also with the ball in the years too come. With the T20 World Cup 2026 scheduled in India, Abhishek would be the first name on the team sheet in every game. However, his bowling can also add up another angle to ease the pressure on Suryakumar Yadav. Abhishek can chip in with a couple of overs, in case a bowler is being taken for runs. This would be a good advantage for the hosts to have.
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