Not Yuvraj Singh, This Cricket Legend Speaks To Abhishek Sharma "For Hours"
Abhishek Sharma has been sensational for India this year, with 756 runs in 17 matches and innings at an average of 47.25, with a century and five fifties and a best score of 135.
Abhishek Sharma has taken the T20I circuit by storm just over a year after making his India debut. After a breakout season in the IPL last year, where he scored 484 runs at a strike-rate of over 200, the southpaw was fast-tracked to the side after India's T20 World Cup triumph last year. Replacing Rohit Sharma, who retired after the showpiece event, wasn't an easy task but the current No. 1 T20I batter has more than risen to the challenge.
While former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has had a big impact on Abhishek's journey, too another legend of the game is also in constant touch with the 25-year-old.
Abhishek's father Rajkumar Sharma has revealed that former West Indies captain Brian Lara, having worked with Abhishek in the IPL for a brief period, is also helping his son, whom he sees as a future all-format player. Rajkumar also said that Lara has asked Abhishek to keep working on his red-ball game.
"Abhishek had his initial success in red ball cricket, and that's what made him shine in white ball cricket. And Lara has also shared how he sees him as an all-format player. Lara speaks for hours with him over the phone, and he instructs him to play with the same style, same dominance, even against the red ball," Abhishek's father told The Indian Express.
Abhishek has been sensational for India this year, with 756 runs in 17 matches and innings at an average of 47.25, with a century and five fifties and a best score of 135.
This year in T20s, Abhishek has scored 1,499 runs at an average of 42.82, with a strike rate of 204.22, with three centuries and nine fifties and a best score of 148, which came during the ongoing SMAT only.
(With Agency Inputs)
India Cricket Team