Abhishek Sharma has quickly established himself as India’s most impactful batter in T20Is over the past year. Stepping into the role vacated by Rohit Sharma, the left-hander has made the position his own with fearless intent at the top of the order.
His aggressive style from the outset has unsettled attacks and set the tone for India’s innings. Abhishek’s rise has also been reflected in his climb to the top of the ICC T20I batting rankings. Along the way, he has produced several standout knocks and played a key part in India’s Asia Cup success. With the T20 World Cup approaching, he remains one of India’s biggest match-winning weapons.
After his match-winning 84 in the first T20I against New Zealand, Abhishek spoke about the clarity provided by captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir, who encouraged him to adopt the same fearless approach once set by Rohit Sharma. He reflected on handling expectations, attacking from ball one, and embracing a role that suits his natural game.
“Rohit bhai has done a lot for the country. There is always pressure because of the starts he used to give in the powerplay,” Abhishek told JioHotstar when asked about Rohit’s influence on him.
“When I came into the team, the coach and captain wanted the same from me. I felt it suited my style too because I love to attack from the first few balls. I have been following in Rohit bhai’s footsteps, and I am really happy to play in this manner and do well for India,” he added.
Abhishek Sharma sets eyes on T20 World Cup
Abhishek further shed light on the detailed preparation that goes into his explosive starts at the top. The young opener spoke about tailoring his net sessions to mirror match situations, practising against similar bowling types and anticipating specific plans from opposition attacks, especially with the T20 World Cup in mind.
“I try to get similar bowlers to bowl at me in the nets. For every bowler in the other team, I find someone similar to practice against,” he said. “I ask them to bowl out-swingers, in-swingers, and use the new ball. I also ask them to take certain fielders out for me… I know (that) especially going into the World Cup and any match, they won’t give me a lot of pace. I realised that in the last few matches, so I have been working on it,” he said.