'Blaming Himself For Six-hitting Obsession': Abhishek Sharma's Father Reminded Son to Not Change Style After Four-ball Duck on India Debut

Abhishek Sharma has been on a six-hitting spree since the 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 competition. He struck 39 sixes for Punjab across 10 matches, the second most after Assam’s Riyan Parag, and finished with 485 runs at a strike-rate of 192.46 as Punjab won the title.

Having found success with this approach, Abhishek successfully replicated it during  IPL 2024, the franchise-based T20 competition where he also faced international bowlers. Opening for Sunrisers Hyderabad, the youngster cleared the boundary 42 times – the most by anyone in the season as the team made it to the final.

The reward for two successfull T20 competitions was a maiden India call-up for the ongoing tour of Zimbabwe. It was natural for him to keep faith in his attacking instincts but the ‘obsession’ to hit sixes meant he was out for a four-ball duck on India debut in the first T20I.

Abhishek wanted to clear the mid-wicket boundary off the fourth ball of the match to open his account with a six but miscued it be dismissed on 0.

Disappointed, he began having a rethink over his approach but a phone call with father Rajkumar Sharma help him clear his mindset.

“He (Abhishek) was a bit dejected,” Rajkumar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. “You can’t blame him. When you get out on nought on your debut, you do question your approach. He was blaming himself for his six-hitting obsession. I reminded him that his six-hitting ability has helped him reach here. Why change your style now, stick to your strength.”

Abhishek was also spoken to by India captain Shubman Gill and coach VVS Laxman. And the result was a blistering 46-ball hundred in the second T20I.

“Captain and coach saab also had a word with him after the match. Laxman sir told him, ‘You were thrashing all the international bowlers in the IPL. Treat it as any IPL match, take your time, get acclimatised and then no one will stop you’,” Rajkumar said.

The fact that Abhishek and Gill have been playing together since the age-group competitions has also helped in the former settling in nicely.

“With Shubman being the captain, it has also helped. The duo has opened for Punjab since their U-14 days and now they are opening for India. Mark my words, these two will forge a destructive opening partnership and will win many games for India in the future,” Rajkumar said.