As the 2026 IPL season approaches, pressure appears to be mounting on young batsman Abhishek Sharma.
While his aggressive batting style has certainly earned him recognition, experts now believe he needs to approach his innings with a greater sense of responsibility.
Comparisons to Sehwag, Yet Room for Growth
Former Indian captain and coach Anil Kumble drew comparisons between Abhishek and Virender Sehwag, but also advised him to find a better balance in his game.
He stated, “I would relate him to someone like Virender Sehwag, because he would look to smash every ball. When he moved from Test cricket to one-day cricket and then to T20 cricket, he realised that he had to pace his innings slightly differently.”
Kumble went on to deliver a clear message regarding strike rates: “I’ve been scoring at a 200 strike rate; expectations are on me—should I now aim for a strike rate of 300? No, you just have to be normal. You have to play a substantial number of deliveries.”
He believes that while Abhishek possesses the ability to score runs quickly, he needs to spend more time at the crease. “If Abhishek Sharma bats for 20 balls in an innings, we know he will be close to that 50-run mark.”
He further added that in T20 cricket, it is essential to prolong one’s innings in order to play a substantial, match-defining knock.
AB de Villiers Also Sounds a Warning
Former South African captain AB de Villiers also raised questions regarding Abhishek’s consistency. He stated unequivocally, “He’s 25, not 20 anymore. So, this is definitely the phase where he has to start taking more responsibility.”
De Villiers also described his performance during the T20 World Cup as disappointing: “We know he was a little inconsistent during the T20 World Cup, which was disappointing.” He further added that the pressure of expectations is the greatest challenge: “Being the number one international T20I batter in the world comes with expectation, and that is the most dangerous word in cricket.”
The 2026 IPL will be a major opportunity for Abhishek Sharma to demonstrate improvements in his batting. The Sunrisers Hyderabad team, too, is expecting better and match-winning innings from him this season.
