'His six-hitting ability is god-gifted': Abhishek Sharma’s father credits Yuvraj Singh for son's rise

Abhishek Sharma, known for his effortless six-hitting, showcased his talent against Pakistan with a blistering 74 off 39 balls. Mentored by Yuvraj Singh, Abhishek combines natural flair with strategic gameplay. His journey from U-19 cricket to IPL stardom has prepared him for the international stage, where he aims to win matches for India.

Abhishek Sharma plays a shot during the Asia Cup match against Pakistan. (AP Photo)

Abhishek Sharma cuts a striking figure while striding towards the crease to bat. Broad shoulders, wiry frame, bat dangling loosely in his left hand like a gunslinger’s weapon, eyes shaded with the cool detachment of someone who knows exactly what he’s about to do. There’s a hint of swagger, a touch of theatre, but nothing forced — it’s simply the way he carries himself. Compact yet athletic, with the energy of a street fighter, Abhishek looks like a cricketer carved for modern-day cricket: lean, sharp and hungry.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Beware Pakistan! Abhishek Sharma hits massive sixes in the nets

Against Pakistan on Sunday, Abhishek strolled in, unhurried, unfazed. From his very first glance towards Shaheen Shah Afridi, the Indian opener seemed to know the script. An hour and five minutes later, by the time Abhishek was done with a blistering 74 off 39 balls, he had not only ripped open Pakistan’s attack but also radiated a mix of showman and craftsman. With every boundary, his gait seemed to grow bolder. It was not just an innings. It was a calling card. Abhishek’s story begins in Amritsar. A coach’s delight and a bowler’s nightmare, young Abhishek had a gift few teenagers possessed — the ability to hit sixes with ridiculous ease.

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“His six-hitting ability is God-gifted. He has a tremendous eye and picks up the line and length of the ball very quickly, a few seconds before any other batter. That’s why he can hit those sixes so consistently,” Abhishek’s father Raj Kumar Sharma told TOI after his son’s swashbuckling show. “His timing is also very natural. Whenever the ball meets his bat, the timing is so exquisite that the ball travels beyond the boundary ropes easily.” This gift for six-hitting never left him. In fact, it has only grown deadlier. Whether it’s a length ball sitting up or a wide yorker begging to be sliced, Abhishek has the uncanny ability to adjust in a fraction of a second, sending the ball soaring into the stands. Abhishek’s cricketing journey runs parallel to that of another Indian star batter — Shubman Gill. The two first crossed paths as pre-teens in Punjab’s age-group tournaments. Gill, all elegance and poise, and Abhishek, all flair and fireworks, complemented each other like yin and yang. “With Shubman, it’s not just partnership, it’s brotherhood. They know each other’s game inside out. They’ve been playing together since they were 10-11. They have practiced and trained together. Their tuning is so good, they know how to win matches for whichever team they’re playing for. Their exploits are well-known at the domestic level, and now that they have come together, playing for India and especially opening together, that bodes well for the future of Indian cricket,” Abhishek’s father said. If natural flair and raw power needed direction, it was Yuvraj Singh who provided that. The hero of India’s two World Cup triumphs spotted something special in young Abhishek and took him under his wings. “Yuvi paaji played a big role in the upliftment of Abhishek’s game. Yuvraj is his guru, and he always shares his experience with Abhishek. If a player who has won India two World Cups on his own teaches a player who is under his tutelage, he will naturally become a top-level cricketer,” said Abhishek’s father. “Yuvraj’s main guru mantra to Abhishek has always been: ‘play according to the situation of the game’. He also wants Abhishek to make the match for India. His batting should be such that he plays for the team and wins games for India and not play for his individual self.” The mentorship has paid off. Abhishek has learned to temper his aggression, to pick his moments, to understand the art of pacing an innings. But Yuvraj never curbed the six-hitting instinct. Instead, he refined it. “Back your hitting zones, don’t manufacture shots,” has been Yuvraj’s advice to Abhishek. His journey hasn’t been without its share of sweat. He made India’s U-19 World Cup squad in 2018, playing under Prithvi Shaw and alongside Shubman. Though his role in the tournament was modest, those who watched him up close knew he was destined for bigger stages. The IPL gave him his springboard. Picked first by Delhi Daredevils. Later, blossoming at Sunrisers Hyderabad, Abhishek learned to shoulder responsibility in pressure situations. In IPL 2024, he emerged as one of the league’s most prolific six-hitters, striking at 204.22. From being seen as a promising U-19 kid to becoming a full-blown T20 star, the transformation has been swift. And now, after his heroics against Pakistan, the international stage seems perfectly sized for his swagger.

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