Abhishek comes of age
mumbai: In a format as fickle as T20 cricket in which a batter is destined for more failures than success, India’s newest power-hitter Abhishek Sharma has learnt quite early that self-belief and fearlessness are essential to increase the probability of
a favourable outcome.
It has not yet been a full year since the Punjab batter arrived at the international stage on the back of high promise in domestic cricket, including an immensely successful IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2024.
But at only 24, Abhishek has begun threatening records which took several years for others to create.
His maiden T20I century was the joint-third fastest for any Indian (46 balls) in only his second match. On Sunday against England, his second T20I ton was the second-fastest for any Indian (37 balls).
In between, he smacked a 28-ball century to claim the joint-fastest hundred for any Indian in the prestigious Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.
What is the secret of such towering success at a young age, one would wonder. The answer is not too complex for Abhishek, who grew up partnering Shubman Gill for Punjab in the opening slot.
Yuvraj Singh’s imprints on Abhishek’s flourish are hard to miss.
“The focus was very much clear (during practice). Yuvi Paaji put all these things in my mind three or four years back,” Abhishek said after his record-breaking 54-ball 135.
Yuvi paaji was the one to believe in me, and when someone like Yuvraj Singh is telling you that you are going to play for the country and you are going to win the games, obviously you try to think that ‘okay I will play for India and I will do my best’,” he said.
“They (Yuvraj and Punjab coach Wasim Jaffer) have played a major role in my cricketing career and they are going to continue doing that. But as I have said before, it is all because of him (Yuvraj),” he said.
It is only natural for a young cricketer to have self-doubt and insecurities, but Abhishek’s success story tells that believing in the trust shown by well-wishers can go a long way in dealing with those. This support system also includes the Indian team management.
“Because of the way he (Yuvraj) has treated me in the past and (during) every innings, he is someone who is always there for me,” said Abhishek.
“He is the one guy I have always listened to and I think he knows better than me so I believe that,” he added.
Abhishek said the confidence given to him by the team management to go all-out and not worry about failures also helps.
“I didn’t do well in few matches before this series and when your captain and coach tell you that ‘you have to play like this and we are backing you, and we will be there for you always’, as a youngster, that is the biggest motivation, I would say,” he said.
Abhishek said the confidence given to him by the team management to go all-out and not worry about
failures also helps. agencies