During a challenging second T20I against Australia, where the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch tested every Indian batter, Abhishek Sharma stood out. While wickets fell around him, the young opener displayed remarkable composure and an impressive range of strokes to score a fluent half-century, which was the sole highlight in India’s four-wicket defeat.
Following the match, former India spinner R Ashwin lauded the left-hander, proclaiming him as the next major batting talent in Indian cricket. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin emphasized Abhishek’s natural flair and his commendable eagerness to learn from cricketing legends.
“I truly believe that the next batting superstar of India is Abhishek Sharma,” Ashwin stated. He acknowledged a challenge for Sharma: “His challenge is to be able to control that downswing. I was reading somewhere that he still talks to Brian Lara because Lara had a massive backlift. His bat swing was magnificent too, so Abhishek spoke to Lara about controlling that bat swing to be able to play Test cricket.”
Ashwin further elaborated on the young Punjab batter’s continuous efforts to refine his technique. “Even that day in Canberra, when the match was washed out, he was discussing with Shubman Gill. From his gestures, it appeared he was talking about bat swing and the pull shot. I even have a screenshot from the last game where he was a bit late on the pull shot. But in this game, he made that crucial correction. He found a way to get it over the top,” Ashwin observed.
He also commended Abhishek’s impressive ability to adapt to difficult conditions and quality bowling. “He actually stepped out today, charged down the track, and Australia bowled exceptionally well too. They were bowling tight lines, fuller lengths, taking the pace off the ball. But despite that full ball, especially when you charge at a fast bowler who attempts a yorker, you typically don’t have enough width to free your arms. Yet, he was still able to open up his arms and dispatch it over covers for a boundary.”
Ashwin concluded by characterizing Abhishek as a rare talent, gifted with both natural skill and sharp cricketing intelligence. “These are truly special abilities that a player possesses. I always say, we all work hard, but for that hard work to truly shine, you need a little divine gift. Abhishek Sharma possesses that gift. He has the capacity to think deeply about the game, and he is simply an exceptionally talented batter. On a challenging pitch and a difficult day for India, he once again provided a magnificent display of what excellent batsmanship in T20 cricket truly looks like.”