'Even if you get out for 15 ducks ...': How Suryakumar Yadav’s faith shaped Abhishek Sharma

NEW DELHI: Abhishek Sharma’s sensational run in the Asia Cup 2025, which earned him the Player of the Tournament award, owes much to the faith shown in him by India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav. Speaking on Breakfast with Champions, Abhishek revealed how Suryakumar’s confidence helped him overcome a string of low scores early in his international career.

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“When I got selected in the Indian team, I got out early in 3-4 innings in the series against Bangladesh. He told me, ‘You’re such an important player for me that even if you get out for 15 ducks, you will still play the next game. I can give it to you in writing,’” Abhishek recalled.

The left-handed batter said this message was transformative. “It was such a big deal that the captain was saying this. One thing became very clear to me — that if I want to do well and make a name for myself, I have to do something different,” he added.


Abhishek also credited his shift to aggressive batting for his turnaround. “For far too long, I curbed my natural instincts. That was striking the ball for me. I felt I was stopping myself because of the pressure of playing a long game. I completely removed that from my head,” he explained. “Even if I lose my wicket early, I will back myself throughout the season.”



The 25-year-old’s exploits in the Asia Cup helped him reach 931 rating points, setting a record for T20I batters in the ICC rankings, surpassing Dawid Malan’s 919 in 2020.

Abhishek also shared a lighter anecdote about his childhood friend and Indian Test captain Shubman Gill. Recalling a mischievous moment during their Under-16 days, Abhishek said, “Shubman did a lot of mischief but never got caught… He has a talent to change expressions. He made an innocent face that day.”

Former Punjab cricketer Arun Bedi, who coached both in their early years, nicknamed them “shaant” and “shaitaan”— Shubman being calm, Abhishek the naughty one.

Together, they opened the batting for India in the Asia Cup, combining talent, composure, and flair.

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