“I will deliver myself and not depend on others” – Abhishek Sharma’s unfettered ability & belief towards a Yuvraj Singh 2.0

November, 1999. A lanky left-hander makes his Ranji Trophy debut for Punjab. His father, a former India seamer, wanted his elder son to pursue fast bowling. Batting at No. 3, Yuvraj Singh is castled by Ashish Nehra for a nine-ball duck.

He redeems himself in the second innings, though, with a brisk 60 off 99 balls. The then 17-year-old Yuvraj makes headlines in the very next game, scoring 149 as an opener versus Haryana. Despite an impressive start, he is dropped to No. 6. He bats thrice in that position, thrice again at No. 3, before ending the campaign at No. 5. After the high of the first three innings, the next seven outings account for only 188 runs.

Yuvraj Singh went on to boss India’s middle order in white-ball cricket. But batting at No. 6 (sometimes even 7) in Test matches, the Player of the 2011 World Cup couldn’t reach the similar heady heights.

Two decades on, closely mentored by Yuvraj himself, another elegant Punjab southpaw, who also bowls left-arm orthodox, is taking rapid strides towards international cricket.

Abhishek Sharma, too, endured a turbulent start. Despite scoring 94 on Ranji debut, he was a fish out of water slotted in just above the tail. The three years before Covid-19 saw him being pushed around from the top of the order right down to No. 8. The result: he played 44 innings across formats and crossed 50 just four times.

But Abhishek Sharma is one of those rare guys who know exactly how to unearth their potential. A five-week personalised camp with Yuvraj Singh during the lockdown served as a catalyst. He always wanted to open the batting and he knew that’s where he belongs.

His dear friend, Shubman Gill, graduating to the national side acted as a blessing in disguise. And once cricket resumed in the country with the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy in January 2021, Abhishek marked it with a maiden hundred against Railways. In the subsequent 50-over competition, he smashed the second fastest (42 balls) List A century by an Indian versus Madhya Pradesh.

Knowing your potential also helps approach the end of a lap as the start of the next. Ask him about playing for India and he dubs it as his childhood dream. But he quietly slips in that it will also unlock the next set of milestones. Mind you, he’s only 23, and he’s already thinking long-term.

Having had to jump through hoops in his formative years, Abhishek Sharma constantly strives to be the best version of himself. Because much like his godfather, he knows he can be an out-and-out matchwinner. From local competitions to Punjab Under-16 to the senior side, his team has emerged victorious every time he’s won Player of the Tournament. The recently-concluded Mushtaq Ali saw Punjab lift their maiden white-ball trophy even as Abhishek was adjudged the best with 485 runs and two wickets.

An enterprising nature also pushes him to lead from the front, even as non-captain. Deputising for regular skipper Mandeep Singh in SMAT 2021/22, he sensed his potential moment in the sun and opened the bowling, again something he believed he could excel in. What followed was, three wickets in the first five balls, including a run-out. And he has since continued taking the new ball in the shortest format.

Opening batting, opening bowling – when did India last have such a commodity?

Self-belief is what makes Abhishek Sharma a cut above the rest. He has very high expectations of himself, but he also knows how to not let them burden his present.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Abhishek Sharma elaborated on the not-so-easy transition from Under-19 to senior teams, channeling the inner opening bowler, finding his feet in the IPL, following in guru Yuvraj Singh’s footsteps and more.

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Excerpts from Abhishek Sharma's exclusive interview with Sportskeeda:

Abhishek Sharma with the Player of the Tournament award in SMAT 2023/24 [Credits: Abhishek Sharma]

Q. Punjab had made two Mushtaq Ali semi-finals in the last three seasons. And they have now finally won their maiden white-ball title. How did it feel?

Abhishek Sharma: We were playing the knockouts for the last few years now. And I think it was high time as players to show something to the association, the selectors and, more importantly, to India. Every time you talk to anyone, they’re like, ‘You are playing with 15-16 IPL players and yet you guys are not winning.’ And we usually come back and think we need to find out what’s going wrong for us. I think the problem was we were struggling to deal with pressure situations. And we used to lose wickets in clusters. But when we played the quarterfinals this year, I was pretty much sure that we’re going to win the tournament. Because the way we won that quarterfinal against UP, in my five-six years of playing for Punjab, I’ve never seen us win a match like that.

Q. You scored a crucial 77 in the semifinal. Was that of more value than the two centuries you notched up?

Abhishek Sharma: I was out cheaply in the quarterfinals. And I knew that I have to buckle up a bit because such opportunities don’t always come. And somewhere I knew I’m going to do it, because we have played a lot of cricket in Mohali and I know the pitch. The night before, I was pretty much ready for the match and it was against Delhi. Whenever we play Delhi, things are heated up. So I was pretty pumped up and luckily it got delivered.

Q. You won Player of the Tournament. How big a validation is that?

Abhishek Sharma: It is a very big validation. I had last won Player of the Tournament in Under-16 state and coincidentally we had won that tournament as well. And even in local tournaments, we won whenever I was Player of the Tournament. So I knew that if I kept performing, I could help my team win. I knew deep down that I have to perform at crucial stages.

Q. Punjab cricket has been on the rise of late. There is an influx of players in the IPL and there are also results to show for. How do you assess this growth?

Abhishek Sharma: It’s been going really good. We have been playing together for the past three-four years now. And luckily, we had this same group in Under-16 and Under-19 as well. And when you add a couple of senior players in the mix, the team gets even better. But somewhere, the youngsters didn’t have the surety whether they’ll play or not. But since last year, our coach Aavishkar Salvi has given us a lot of assurance of regularly playing. So we were lacking a bit in that regard a few years back. And when we got it this year, everyone’s confidence got boosted. Because if you see, there was a new hero in every match, especially in batting.

Q. How is your equation with Yuvraj Singh?

Abhishek Sharma: It is great. Like I always say, I have idolised him when I was young and, luckily, I got the chance to share the dressing room with him. And even after that, I developed a close bond with him. It was more than just being colleagues. He has always treated me like a younger brother. And then when he had that camp for the four of us, we started looking at him as a mentor. Our connection went up a notch after that.

Q. How did this idea of having a personalized camp in the middle of lockdown come about? What kind of things did you guys work on?

Abhishek Sharma: It was his idea only. Because he probably felt that he wanted to work with these three-four players who can help Punjab win trophies and even represent India. Shubman stays in Chandigarh only. So Anmol, Prabh and I stayed at Yuvi paaji’s house. It was a very fun camp because it was not just about cricket but life as well. We focused on fitness and strength too – on rest days, we used to go for golf. So it was a very complete camp. And the way he managed it, none of us expected it to turn out so well. We always looked at him like a legend of our sport. But that perception changed when he used to train us for hours. And he was always hands-on for every activity; he never left us after assigning some task.

Q. Was there mental growth as well?

Abhishek Sharma: Very much so. Whenever we had any doubt, who better than Yuvraj Singh to share it with? And he always gave us the space where we could tell him anything, even outside of cricket. And that made our bonds even stronger. Unlike usual camps, proper focus was given to each and every player. He used to spend hours on each of us; so it was a proper specific camp.

Q. Is Yuvraj Singh your go-to person?

Abhishek Sharma: 100 percent. Every second or third day, whenever I face any problem, I talk to him. And I get a solution from him every single time. And I’m sure the other three also do the same. And he also knows our game, so he has the particular answers ready.

Q. How did he react to you winning Player of the Tournament in SMAT 2023/24?

Abhishek Sharma: Yes he was very happy. He said that the effort I have put in is bearing fruit and asked me to continue doing the same. You obviously get motivated when you get his message.

Q. Your first season for the Punjab senior side was in 2016/17. As a 16-year-old, you were suddenly around your childhood heroes like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Manpreet Gony. Did it ever feel overwhelming?

Abhishek Sharma: It was a motivation. But Shubman and I debuted together, and we were very young. So we didn’t quite understand these things. We had performed right through age-group cricket, but it’s not easy to replicate the same for the senior side. We had our own challenges, but the seniors like Bhajju paaji, Yuvi paaji, Mann paaji kept us together. They never made us feel that we were new to the team.

Q. You started off as a lower-order batter. But the runs somehow didn’t come by and you had your fair share of time warming the bench in the initial seasons. How difficult were the formative years?

Abhishek Sharma: We have always seen that for middle-order batters, if there isn’t any place in the middle order, they suddenly become lower-order batters. Openers are never comprised on. I used to play at Nos. 3 and 4, but no team has those positions vacant. So it worked against me and I was suddenly playing at 6 and 7. It was a difficult thing for me batting that low. It was a different experience because you don’t get to express yourself and play your shots. You need time to be able to perform in those positions. But I wanted to wait for my chance; I wanted to play a couple of good knocks lower down the order and then go up. But it was a phase in which I became mentally tougher.

Q. You first opened the batting in the 2019/20 season and haven’t looked back since. What brought about that change?

Abhishek Sharma: I was anyway waiting for my chance. And in the district tournaments and local events, I used to open and score consistently. So that’s how I drew everyone’s attention and they had it at the back of their mind that I am better off as an opener. And when Shubman went into the national team, I got a chance to open alongside Prabh. And then he played one-down when Shubman was available. Because it also became a left-right combination. Then I opened in the IPL and did well. And from there on, everyone realised my best use is by opening the batting. And somewhere, I also knew that I’m going to perform well when I open. So everything eventually fell into place.

Q. Your first milestone knock came just after cricket resumed post Covid-19. You had your first professional hundred – 107 off 62 balls versus Railways. How did it feel that day?

Abhishek Sharma: Very good. When you are young, you don’t feel that you can smash a hundred in T20 cricket. When I was batting at 60-70 and saw that some five overs were still left, I realised that I can actually reach hundred. So when that happened, it underlined my belief that I can perform better opening the batting.

Q. In that very season, you scored the second fastest hundred by an Indian in List A cricket. Did that 2020/21 season make you feel like you’ve finally arrived?

Abhishek Sharma: Yeah we were chasing 400 in that match and I knew that I had to play my natural game and work on instincts. I realised it later that it was the second fastest hundred. If I knew earlier, I would’ve smashed the fastest century. Because I remember I blocked one over in between. But you don’t realise these things while you’re out in the middle. But after that knock, I understood that I have to back my natural game and get better at shot selection and improve further – everything I’ve worked on in the camp and even with Brian Lara.

Q. While you’ve played some blinders in the Ranji Trophy as well, your red-ball numbers aren’t as good as your white-ball numbers and you initially didn’t get a long rope as well. How do you look at that?

Abhishek Sharma: I would say that first-class cricket has been okayish for me. Because I didn’t have a fixed number until recently. But now that I have started opening, I will hundred percent perform better. Regardless of the format I play, my only motive is to win the match for my team. So whenever I play this season, I will make sure that my knock helps the team win. I was not able to do that at Nos. 6, 7 and 8 – the situations were different – but now that I am playing at the top, I can do better.

Q. How do you draw the fine line between natural game and percentage cricket?

Abhishek Sharma: That comes with playing; it doesn’t happen in one or two seasons. You have to realise it yourself where the shot selection should be better or where you have to curb your natural instincts. But since last year, I have been backed by the team to play my natural game but also according to the situation. Average is just a number – one good season comes by and everything changes. I never had it in my mind that I have to improve it. I just know that, when I play well, I’ll make sure the team wins. And that’s what matters the most. So I’m just focusing on the process.

Q. Talking about captaincy, you lead the side for three matches in the 2021/22 SMAT and for that entire Ranji season. Do you get buoyed by leadership because your numbers definitely suggest so?

Abhishek Sharma: I felt really good. I have captained in all three formats and it makes me feel more responsible; I want to perform even better and lead by example. I now play thinking I have to take things in my own hands, which is how I used to play as captain. So you gradually learn these things. When I was captain, I was more careful, I was more responsible. And even now, I have started doing the same, having this mindset that I will deliver myself and not depend on others.

Q. And if I’m not wrong, you opened the bowling in T20 cricket in your first match as captain and have successfully continued doing so. What was the reason behind that?

Abhishek Sharma: I knew I have a few varieties which can help me with the new ball. So I was just looking for an opportunity to showcase that. And I got that in that match and I performed well, picking up two wickets in the very first over. And I continued opening the bowling and people started recognising my ability with the new ball.

Q. You led India to the U19 Asia Cup title in 2016. Everything was in place for the 2018 U19 World Cup, until you were replaced as captain a few months before. How did you overcome that heartbreak?

Abhishek Sharma: Obviously it was a rough patch for me, because I didn’t score much in that period. And I always believe that a captain – whoever that is – should set an example for the team. So in hindsight, I feel it was a very good decision at that time by the selectors and the management. I wasn’t performing that well and Prithvi had already played for Mumbai. So it was a smart call because I feel the captain should perform the best in the team.

Q. That U19 batch almost reminds people of Virat Kohli’s batch of 2008. What made that group special because everyone has been doing well now? Any learnings from Rahul Dravid?

Abhishek Sharma: All of us shared a very good bond. Almost the same set of guys played Under-16 as well. So it rarely happens that you know everyone even before coming into Under-19. All of us knew everything about each other and it was never like, ‘yeh kahan se aa gaya?’ We all had been performing well and we just knew this was going to be the team. About Rahul sir, he never asked me for any technical changes. Be it my batting or bowling, he always said he liked my technique and he just wanted me to perform. He even told me that the times have changed and it was important to have a dominating game. All these things really boosted my confidence at that time.

Q. That time in New Zealand also coincided with your first IPL contract. I’m sure it was a dream come true. How did you guys celebrate that day?

Abhishek Sharma: When you are performing well for India Under-19, somewhere you know you’ll be picked by one franchise or the other. But obviously, as a teenager, it was more about who is being bought for how much. So that was the more exciting part.

Q. Your first few IPL seasons didn’t go as planned. Was it because there was the pressure to perform, you were batting at fluctuating positions?

Abhishek Sharma: It was a learning process for me; I learnt a lot in those initial seasons. As a teenager, you always want to learn from the best in the business, and you get the best of players from each country in the IPL. In my first season with the Delhi Daredevils, having players like Gautam bhai, Shreyas, Rishabh, Glenn Maxwell would have been a source of great joy for any 17-year-old. I used to get a lot of motivation just being around these names. And in my debut season, I played the last three matches and performed decently. The foreign players didn’t even know I could bat. Because in training, the fringe players practiced either after or before the core group. So when I played that knock (46* off 19 on debut), the likes of Maxwell, Plunkett, Munro, Boult were all surprised. And when I was traded to SRH, they were a very big team at the time. So getting a place in the playing XI was a huge deal. And I played a couple of matches and I knew I could do well because I was training more than anyone else. I used to love drawing the attention of the coaches and the big players. So it never felt like I wasn’t doing well because I was just looking to learn every day.

Q. You had your breakthrough season in IPL 2022. You opened for SRH in the final two matches of 2021 and Wriddhiman Saha had told me you are being groomed as an opener for the next season. Was it a case of security and clarity?

Abhishek Sharma: When I opened in the final two games and came for the next season, our head coach Tom Moody directly told me, ‘You’re going to open and we’ll back you.’ That time, Brian Lara was our batting coach and he too reaffirmed the same. And unfortunately, I was out early in the first two matches. And I clearly remember I had ringed Yuvi paaji and he was laughing on the call. He was like, ‘Bohot accha hua. Ab dekhna kya hota hai.’ And then I scored a 75 in the next game. I was like how did Yuvi paaji predict this. We spoke after that knock and he told me, ‘Just enjoy now.’ He had more belief in me than I had in myself.

Q. All of us start playing cricket with one dream. Many of your friends have already realized that dream. How have you managed your own expectations and aspirations of playing for India?

Abhishek Sharma: I believe I should focus on things which are in my control and the rest will take care of itself. Till now, it has never been like I have to get picked for this series. If you continue with your process without expecting much, it will 100 percent happen – sooner or later. And I firmly believe in it. I want to concentrate on my process and the upcoming matches. But the goal is obviously to play for Team India. And whenever that happens, one of my biggest dreams will be fulfilled and I can then focus on my other goals.

Q. India have forever been in search of batters who can also bowl. How big a motivation has that been for you?

Abhishek Sharma: It is very motivating. Whoever I meet – be it players, ex-cricketers, selectors – everyone tells me, ‘Just keep bowling. We need it.’ So that is a big boost for me. And my dad was also a left-arm spinner, so he has always backed my bowling. And I anyway like bowling and I work on it as well. I am more than happy to do both roles.

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