Abhishek Sharma’s phenomenal performance in the Asia Cup 2025, where he clinched the Player of the Tournament award, is a testament to the profound faith shown in him by India’s T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav. In a candid interview on ‘Breakfast with Champions,’ Abhishek shared how Suryakumar’s belief helped him navigate a challenging start to his international journey, marked by a series of low scores.
Recalling his early days in the Indian team, Abhishek revealed a pivotal conversation after a few disappointing innings against Bangladesh. “He told me, ‘You’re such an important player for me that even if you get out for 15 ducks, you will still play the next game. I can give it to you in writing,'” Abhishek recounted, emphasizing the immense impact of such assurance from his captain.
This powerful message completely reshaped Abhishek’s mindset. He explained, “It was such a big deal that the captain was saying this. One thing became very clear to me — that if I want to do well and make a name for myself, I have to do something different.” This clarity led him to embrace his natural, aggressive batting style, which he had previously suppressed under the pressure of performing consistently.
Abhishek consciously abandoned his cautious approach, committing to his instincts wholeheartedly. “For far too long, I curbed my natural instincts. That was striking the ball for me. I felt I was stopping myself because of the pressure of playing a long game. I completely removed that from my head,” he stated. His new philosophy became: “Even if I lose my wicket early, I will back myself throughout the season.”
This transformation propelled the 25-year-old to remarkable heights in the Asia Cup, where his exploits earned him an impressive 931 rating points in the ICC T20I rankings, surpassing Dawid Malan’s 2020 record of 919 points.
Beyond his on-field heroics, Abhishek also shared a humorous anecdote about his childhood friend and current Indian Test captain, Shubman Gill. He fondly recalled a mischievous incident from their Under-16 days: “Shubman did a lot of mischief but never got caught… He has a talent to change expressions. He made an innocent face that day.” Their early coach, former Punjab cricketer Arun Bedi, aptly nicknamed them “shaant” (calm) and “shaitaan” (naughty), with Shubman embodying the former and Abhishek the latter.
Together, these two talents, one known for his composure and the other for his flair, formed a formidable opening partnership for India in the Asia Cup, showcasing a blend of skill and determination.