India’s optional training session at the ICC Academy turned into a spectacle on Tuesday (September 9), thanks to Abhishek Sharma‘s breathtaking stroke-play that blended power with elegance. While senior players like Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, and Harshit Rana opted to rest, the younger stars ensured that the session was anything but low-key.Abhishek Sharma was the cynosure of all eyes, turning his hour-long stint into a personal “range-hitting” exhibition.
Relying on impeccable timing and hand-eye coordination rather than brute force, the left-hander Abhishek Sharma smashed at least 25 to 30 sixes, many clearing the nets and landing outside the practice facility. His clean striking and ability to pick length early drew applause from teammates and coaches alike.
Left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma, currently ranked No.1 in the ICC T20I batter rankings, has quickly established himself as a reliable opener since making his debut against Zimbabwe in July 2024. Known for his belligerent stroke play, Abhishek Sharma enjoys the backing of the team management, and the upcoming Asia Cup could be the first major test for the swashbuckling batter on a big stage.
India is all set to begin the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 with a new and exciting opening pair. Shubman Gill, who has returned to the T20I side as the vice-captain, is likely to join Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order in the upcoming continental tournament. Shubman Gill made a comeback to the side on the back of strong performances in the IPL 2025 and a successful England tour. Apart from being the vice-captain, Gill’s calm and steady batting style makes him a reliable choice to give the Men in Blue solid starts in the Asia Cup 2025.
On the other hand, Abhishek Sharma has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in the format, thanks to his fearless hitting and aggressive approach. The left-handed batter has already impressed against England and now holds the No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I batting rankings.
Both Punjab lads give India a left-right combination that could trouble any bowling attack. And this combination has already been approved by the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir, leaving Sanju Samson, who is also part of the Asia Cup 2025 squad, uncertain in the playing XI. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter has been impressive as an opener for the past year, but with Gill’s return, Sanju is more likely to play in the middle order or serve as a backup opener and wicketkeeper in the upcoming tournament, starting on September 9 in the UAE.
Abhishek Sharma ticks all the right boxes, spotlight on batter for India’s campaign in Asia Cup 2025
For a batter set to make his maiden appearance in a multi-team international competition, the No.1 rank is certainly a big boost. Top-ranked among batters in T20Is, young Abhishek Sharma should be in a strong mindset as he goes into the upcoming Asia Cup, which will also mark his first tournament for India featuring several other countries.
After a consistent showing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, especially in the last two editions of the IPL, Abhishek Sharma backed it up with performances for India that were not just explosive, but more importantly, impact-making. He has proved so in India’s last two T20I series against South Africa (away) and England (home).
Struggling initially against the Proteas in their conditions, the 24-year-old showed he’s a quick learner with scores of 50 and 36 at a strike rate of 200 in the last two games. Thereafter, against the Englishmen, the left-hander was at his destructive best, with his 79 off 34 balls at Eden Gardens and the masterful 135 off just 54 balls at the Wankhede underlining it.
In this Asia Cup, the UAE conditions may pose a challenge or two at times for batsmen, especially against quality spinners and those tweakers who don’t usually err much in terms of line and length. From that perspective, there could be a little bit of pressure on Abhishek Sharma, as India too will be expecting him to make full use of the Powerplay.
However, batswing is one aspect that could come to the Punjab batsman’s rescue. And having worked with India’s World Cup winner and former limited-overs specialist Yuvraj Singh, that batswing has simply improved further. Seeing his exploits, Former India cricketer R Ashwin has opened up on Abhishek Sharma singing full praises for him.
Abhishek Sharma is an upgraded version of Yuvraj Singh- Ravichanran Ashwin
Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked opener Abhishek Sharma’s one of the batters to watch out from the Indian side in the Asia Cup 2025, calling him an upgraded version of Yuvraj Singh. The youngster has been in breathtaking form since debuting for India in T20Is last July.
The left-hander scored the second-fastestcentury by an Indian batter in T20Is off 37 balls against England earlier this year. Abhishek Sharma boasts impressive T20I numberswith an average of 33.43 and a strike rate of 193.84in 17 matches. Talking about the destructive left-hander on his Youtube channel, R Ashwin said :
“I am keen to see if Abhishek Sharma’s all-out attacking approach works on these surfaces. But what a player, he is an upgraded version of Yuvraj Singh.”
Abhishek Sharma has made a name for himself with his fearless knocks in the Indian Premier League(IPL) and in international cricket. He is a part of Men in Blue’s squad for the upcoming 2025 Asia Cup squad. The dangerous batter has 535 runs to his name at a fantastic strike rate of 193.84 from 16 T20I innings. In the IPL, he has amassed 1816 runs across 74 innings at a strike rate of 163.01.
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