Got clarity, space to express myself: Abhishek Sharma

If India’s modern T20 batting has a mood, Abhishek Sharma embodies it — fearless from ball one, hungry for boundaries and unapologetically aggressive. The 25-year-old left-hander’s exponential rise has mirrored India’s renewed T20 vision. His twin Player of the Series awards, first in the Asia Cup and then in the recent five-match T20I series in Australia, underline his growing impact.


Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

In Brisbane, as he wrapped up another successful tour, Abhishek summed up his mindset by saying, “My captain and coach have given the responsibility to play freely and start big. They’ve given me clarity and space to go express myself.”

For years, India’s T20 opening template was built around accumulation and anchoring. Abhishek represents a generational shift. His strike-rate, often touching 200, and his ability to clear boundaries at will have given India an intimidating edge.

While some other batters might be tempted to rein in their aggressive instincts for the sake of accumulating bigger scores, Abhishek’s mandate is to set the pace.

“As a batter, when you’re scoring 20s and 30s, you know you can go longer and get bigger scores if you play in another fashion, not the way I play. But the clarity to set the momentum for the team has really helped me to be clear in my head,” said Abhishek.

In the Australia series, Abhishek showcased not just flair but adaptability. The surfaces were true, but the quality of bowling was world-class. His duels with Josh Hazlewood were illuminating even for him.



“I feel we could’ve gotten bigger scores, but what’s important is that we’ve done well as a team in this series,” he said.

“The way Josh Hazlewood bowled in the initial part of the series was really helpful in my evolution as a batter. I’ve enjoyed my battles with him. I was practicing for these kind of bowlers because that’s how you build momentum for yourself as well as your team.”

Looking ahead, Abhishek’s fearless approach is poised to be a game-changing psychological advantage for India heading into the home T20 World Cup.

“The T20 World Cup is going to be one of the biggest tournaments in my career. It’ll be a dream-come-true moment if and when I get to play there. I’ll make sure I’ll be ready,” said Abhishek.

Catch Lovlina Borgohain's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5. Watch Here