Today is the second T20 match between India and South Africa, and Punjab’s own Abhishek Sharma is playing on his home ground for the first time in the blue jersey.
This 25-year-old left-handed powerhouse has scored over 1000 runs in 30 T20 matches in the last year and a half, that too at a strike rate of 188!
Hitting the ball into the stands since childhood
The old groundsmen at the PCA Stadium still laugh about it. They say, “Since Abhishek came along, half our time is spent looking for the balls.”
Even at the age of 11-12, he would step out against fast bowlers and hit sixes.
Punjab’s junior coach Arun Bedi says, “Even at the age of 11-12, Abhishek would hit sixes standing and also stepping out against pacers as well as spinners. That spoke about his skill.”
Abhishek’s father, Rajkumar Sharma, is his first coach. He says people think his son just messes around, but the truth is he’s crazy about cricket.
“He has done everything he can to constantly improve. His days started at 4 am – gym, running, swimming. People don’t see this side,” Rajkumar said.
If he’s not playing for India or in the IPL, he plays for Punjab, and if not that, then club cricket or office tournaments with the Indian Oil team. He just needs to play cricket.
Lara and Yuvraj still scold him
Abhishek has been coached by Rahul Dravid, Laxman, Ponting, Lara, and Yuvraj Singh. But his closest friendships are with Yuvraj and Brian Lara. Both taught him golf to improve his bat swing and make it cleaner.
His father laughs and says, “Yuvraj still calls and scolds him the moment he makes a mistake, and Abhishek is afraid of him!” Lara, on the other hand, talks to him for hours on the phone. Rajkumar said, “Lara speaks for hours with him and tells him to play the same way even in red-ball cricket.”
This evening, when Abhishek comes to the crease, the whole of Mohali will be cheering him on. Because this is the boy who has been making bowlers cry since he was 11 years old. Today, not just the city, but the entire state of Punjab is proud of him.
