India’s newest T20 opener, Abhishek Sharma, insists the slow route has served him well. While 2018 Under-19 team-mates Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw jumped straight into international cricket, Abhishek had to grind away, first in domestic tournaments and then in the IPL. The 24-year-old now owns the Asia Cup’s Player of the Tournament award after scoring 314 runs in seven innings – and he reckons the wait was worth it.
“There have been ups and downs,” he said after lifting the trophy in Colombo. “Some players get in easily. Some come in after some difficulty. But I feel this [domestic grind] was necessary. If I had made it quicker as a [national team] player, I wouldn’t have learned some things.”
Key numbers first. Three successive half-centuries led into the final. Shaheen Shah Afridi was belted twice in back-to-back matches. Pathum Nissanka finished the campaign a distant second on 261 runs. All this, and India still haven’t quite settled on their T20 World Cup squad – though Abhishek’s name looks inked in already.
Short back-story helps. He began as a left-arm-spin-bowling middle-order finisher. Covid delayed everyone but gave Abhishek time to remodel his game with the help of Yuvraj Singh, who spotted an opener’s mindset in him. Extra gym work, tweaked bat swing, and a bolder approach against the new ball meant the transformation stuck.
“Since the time I have been in the [national] team, I have not felt this is a pressure match. We prepared for every match in the same way,” he said. “Surya bhai [Suryakumar Yadav] and GG [Gautam Gambhir] bhai have given me confidence. When you want to play a high-risk game, failures do come. But the way they handled me, I am able to play like this because of that.”
That ‘high-risk game’ mostly shows up in the powerplay, the first six overs when only two boundary riders are allowed. Abhishek’s strike-rate there touched 170 during the tournament, an area India have tried to sharpen since last year’s World Cup. Bowlers landed short, he rocked back; they went full, he cleared his front leg and swung through the line. Simple in theory, tricky in practice, and hugely reassuring for a side that has often tip-toed through early overs.
“It is very important to get such support from the team,” he added. “We have been wanting to play this brand of cricket with intent from the start. Irrespective of the opposition, we will continue playing like this.”
Analytically, the left-hand/right-hand opening combination with Gill also neutralises opposition off-spinners and complicates field settings. If the pair stays fit, India’s top order suddenly looks a lot less predictable.
“I’ve had more time to work on a few things. So I’ve worked a lot on those things. I feel this is the start for the team. There will be more miracles going forward.”
Big words, though delivered softly. For someone who has just made the climb, Abhishek sounds determined to keep walking rather than reach for any shortcuts.
