NEW DELHI: India’s newest power-hitter, Abhishek Sharma, has learned early on that self-belief and fearlessness are crucial to increasing the likelihood of a favorable outcome in a sport as unpredictable as T20 cricket, where a batter is destined for more failures than successes.
The Punjab batsman hasn’t been on the international scene for a full year yet, but he came with great potential in domestic cricket, including a 2024 IPL title with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
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However, Abhishek, who is only 24, has started to threaten records that others took years to accomplish.
In just his second match, he achieved his first T20I century, which was the third-fastest for any Indian at 46 balls. His second T20I century against England on Sunday was the second-fastest of any Indian (37 balls).
He also claimed the joint-fastest century for any Indian in the coveted Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy with a brilliant 28-ball century.
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One could wonder, “What is the secret to such towering success at such a young age?” Abhishek, who grew up playing in the opening slot for Punjab with Shubman Gill, has an easy response.

It’s difficult to overlook Yuvraj Singh’s influence on Abhishek’s success, but to his credit, he has returned the favor on the field by doing all the legendary Indian all-rounder has asked him to do during their innumerable sessions in various setups over the past few years.
“The focus was very much clear (during practice). Yuvi Paaji put all these things in my mind three or four years back,” Abhishek told the media after his 54-ball 135 (13x6s, 7x4s) became the highest individual total by an Indian in T20Is, surpassing his friend Gill (126 off 63 balls in 2023).
“Yuvi paaji was the one to believe in me, and when someone like Yuvraj Singh is telling you that you are going to play for the country and you are going to win the games, obviously you try to think that ‘okay I will play for India and I will do my best’,” he said.
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“They (Yuvraj and Punjab coach Wasim Jaffer) have played a major role in my cricketing career and they are going to continue doing that. But as I have said before, it is all because of him (Yuvraj),” he said.
A young cricket player’s self-doubt and concerns are normal, but Abhishek’s success story shows that trusting well-wishers can help you deal with those issues. The Indian team management is another component of this support system.
“Because of the way he (Yuvraj) has treated me in the past and (during) every innings, he is someone who is always there for me,” said Abhishek, who made 484 runs in 16 IPL matches in 2024 at a strike rate of 204.21 with three fifties.
“He is the one guy I have always listened to and I think he knows better than me so I believe that,” he added.

According to Abhishek, it also helps that the team management gave him the confidence to give it his all and not worry about failing.
“I didn’t do well in few matches before this series and when your captain and coach tell you that ‘you have to play like this and we are backing you, and we will be there for you always’, as a youngster, that is the biggest motivation, I would say,” he said.
“In South Africa, I remember Hardik (Pandya) Paaji and Surya (Suryakumar Yadav) Paaji telling me that you will 100 per cent make some runs, but just believe in yourself’.”
“In this series, obviously, Gauti (Gautam Gambhir) Paaji came back and then Surya Paaji. I feel really grateful that the way they believe in me. That’s not normal for any player because that’s the biggest motivation I would say for any young cricketer,” he said.
Then there was Brian Lara, who thinks highly of him and gave him a suggestion that significantly altered his strategy. He scored 485 runs at 48.50 in 10 games, including two hundreds and three fifties, to dominate the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy 2023-24. His runs came at a strike rate of 192.46.
“I practiced a lot of match scenarios. I did a lot of open nets. But there was one thing in my mind that Brian Lara had (once) told me, ‘play your shots but make sure you don’t get out’.
“I used to be careful that I won’t get out to any bowler. That really helped me in these few years,” he said.
Even though he has demonstrated remarkable potential in a very unpredictable format, Abhishek is aware of his potential to set or shatter records, like Yuvraj’s six sixes in an over.
“I don’t think that record can be broken anytime soon. I don’t know if it can be broken at all. But if you consciously think about it while going in, then it won’t happen,” he said.
“I think when you play your normal game, there are situations where you are in a zone and able to execute. I had asked Yuvi Paaji as well. He did not have any such plan of hitting six sixes but it happens when you are on the spot in such a zone,” Abhishek added.