"I let all the Indian players know that this can happen" - Team India star's stunning statement about father post Asia Cup 2025

Team India star Abhishek Sharma made a stunning statement about his father, Raj Kumar Sharma, after the Asia Cup 2025. Abhishek played a key role in India's triumph at the multinational event. He notched up 314 runs at a strike-rate of 200 with three half-centuries.

Abhishek reckoned that a young player needed someone to push them through their age-group days, even if they were talented. He stated that his father was that person for him. The young batter's father was his first coach. Abhishek revealed how strict his father would be.

"In the beginning, I felt that as a youngster, even if you are talented, till your Under-19 days, you need someone who can push you. That was my dad. He was a different coach. He was very strict. But I also feel I needed someone like that for the way I was. I would be so scared. Even if I was out in any game by hitting a lofted shot, I would not sit next to him while he would be driving. I would sit behind. He would start anytime talking about my shot selection," he said on 'Breakfast with Champions'. (4:52)

He also revealed how his father once got hold of Rahul Tripathi for playing a wrong shot. Abhishek added how he let the other Indian players know that his father could do such things as a coach.

"My dad got hold of Rahul Tripathi also once. He said, "Why do you keep hitting like this? You have such a good range of shots playing straight". And imagine he was meeting him for the first time. I let all the Indian players know that this can happen." (5:53)

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India opener Abhishek Sharma opens up on how his father wanted him to be a cricketer from childhood

Abhishek Sharma's father has played a huge role in his son becoming a cricketer right from the start. The Indian opener revealed how he would train at his father's academy from a very young age. He felt that his father had decided to make him a cricketer right from the moment he was born.

"My dad was the selector. He played for Punjab for many years. And after that, when I was like four or five years old, he had his own academy. I would get there by 11 AM and we would practice till 3. This would be my personal practice. My cricket started from there. I feel like he would have told a cricketer has arrived as soon as I was born," he said. (6:29)

The left-hander represented the Under-19 side and India A before making his international debut. He made his T20I debut in 2024 against Zimbabwe. So far, he has played 24 matches and has scored 849 runs at an average of 36.91, a strike-rate of 196.07, with two hundreds and five half-centuries.