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Young opener Abhishek Sharma will be carrying the hopes, good wishes and expectations of over a billion people as he is set to kickstart his T20 World Cup campaign against the USA in Mumbai on Saturday.
From a young all-rounder who could tonk a few sixes, it has been quite a journey for the youngster from Punjab towards the number one T20I batter ranking. The last time he was at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, he produced a mesmerising 54-ball 135, India's highest T20I score, with seven fours and 13 sixes to announce his arrival as the country's next sensation after a shaky start to his career. Now, going into the T20 World Cup, the expectations, lights, camera, and focus are on Abhishek, just as they used to be on legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in their days as T20I superstars. -Carrying the hopes of billions with a never-seen-before mix of consistency and explosiveness: Abhishek has played out his entire T20I career after Team India, led by Rohit, ended their 11-year trophy drought back in 2024, scoring 1,297 runs at an average of 37.05 and a strike rate of 194.74, with two centuries, eight fifties and a best score of 135 in 38 matches and 37 innings. Despite shaky first 12 innings in which he could produce just one century and fifty each, Abhishek's dominance is unparalleled and untouchable, as no batter has scored with this much consistency and explosiveness since the last T20 WC. -A boundary-hitter from ball one: Abhishek is about to go out all guns blazing right from ball one. In a viral video session of his practice session with his mentor and former World Cup-winning all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, the latter could be heard pleading to him, "Single bhi le lo maharaj (Please take some singles too). But Abhishek clearly is going the 'Yuvi way' despite all the scoldings, praise and advices he has attracted from Yuvraj after every dismissal. During his first 12 matches, Abhishek scored 256 runs, and 202 of these came through fours and sixes, a total of 78.90 per cent of runs coming through boundaries. Even when he became more consistent, scoring 1,040 runs in the next 25 innings, he hit 101 fours and 69 sixes, still collecting a total of 818 runs or 78.65 per cent via fours and sixes. Clearly, his approach is paying off most of the time, but it does not come off on some days. The mentee is clearly ignoring all his mentor's advices to take singles and develop into a six-hitter, and Yuvraj is back in his prime. -Topping the strike-rate charts: Since the last T20 WC, nobody has struck at a strike rate faster than Abhishek's 194.74. He goes after the bowlers' right from ball one, as suggested by his first-over strike rate of 146.15, which is second-best next to Phil Salt of England (151.28). -Nobody out-hitting the 'AbhiSix': Since the last T20 World Cup, Abhishek has smashed a massive 88 T20I sixes, and nobody comes close to the entertainment he puts out for the audiences. His distant rival is West Indies skipper Shai Hope, who has hit 50 maximums in 37 matches. -India's biggest match-winner with the bat: Since the last T20 World Cup, Abhishek has been India's biggest match-winner with the bat. He had a monumental Asia Cup run, scoring 314 runs in seven matches at an average of 44.85 and a strike rate of 200 with three fifties, becoming the top run-getter and 'Player of the Tournament'. During the tournament, he collected two 'Player of the Match' titles and a total of five POTM honours. He also top-scored in the series against England last year, with 279 runs in five innings at an average of 55.80 and a strike rate of above 219, with a century and fifty each. He also top-scored against Australia away from home, scoring 163 runs in five matches at an average of 40.75 and a strike rate of over 161, with a fifty, winning the 'Player of the Series' title. He has top-scored in three T20I series for India since the last T20 WC, got five POTMs and two 'Player of the Series/Tournament' titles to make up an envious resume. -Fine home record gives him a shot at breaking Virat's record Abhishek has an incredible record at home, scoring 599 runs in 17 innings at an average of 37.43 and a strike rate of 213, with a century, three fifties, and a best score of 135. If India reaches the semifinals or finals, Team India could play six to eight matches, and he has a chance to break Virat's record of 319 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup in six innings, with four fifties. (ANI)
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