Abhishek Sharma is an Indian cricketer renowned for his explosive left-handed batting and left-arm spin bowling. He plays for India internationally, Punjab domestically, and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL.
Profile Overview
Born on September 4, 2000, in Amritsar, Punjab, he represents India internationally, Punjab in domestic cricket, and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL. A top-order aggressor, he rose to fame with a maiden T20I century on debut against Zimbabwe in 2024 and became the world’s number-one ranked T20I batter in 2025.
Career Highlights
Born September 4, 2000, in Amritsar, Punjab, Sharma debuted in the IPL for Delhi Capitals in 2018 before joining SRH. He earned his India T20I call-up after a breakout 2024 IPL season with 484 runs alongside Travis Head, helping SRH reach the final, and leading Punjab to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title. In 2025, he scored a maiden T20I century on debut vs. Zimbabwe and peaked as the world’s No. 1 T20I batter.
Recent Performances
In January 2026, Sharma starred in India’s T20I series win over New Zealand, scoring 84 in the Nagpur opener and an unbeaten 68 off 20 balls (including a 14-ball fifty) in Guwahati to seal a 3-0 lead. His IPL highlights include a 141 off 55 balls in 2025, the third-highest score in league history.
IPL and Domestic Record
Sharma holds SRH’s joint-fastest IPL fifty (16 balls) and led Punjab to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2023-24 with 485 runs. He’s amassed over 1,000 T20I runs faster than most Indians, behind only Virat Kohli.
| Achievement | Details |
| Fastest T20I 50 for India | 14 balls vs NZ (2026) |
| Highest T20I score for India | 135 vs England (2025) |
| IPL Sixes (2024) | 42 (Most in season) |
| Asia Cup 2025 | 314 runs, Player of Tournament |
Abhishek Sharma has been a key player for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL since 2018, excelling as an aggressive top-order batter and occasional left-arm spinner.
What are Abhishek Sharmas IPL stats with Sunrisers Hyderabad
Across 77 IPL matches, Sharma has scored 1,816 runs off 1,114 balls at an average of 27.10 and a strike rate of 163.02, including 1 century, 9 fifties, 174 fours, and 101 sixes. With the ball, he has taken 11 wickets in 32 innings at an average of 45.55 and an economy of 8.95, with best figures of 2/4.
Season-wise Batting Breakdown
| Season | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | Strike Rate | 50s/100s | 4s/6s |
| 2025 | 14 | 439 | 141 | 33.77 | 193.39 | 2/1 | 46/28 |
| 2024 | 16 | 484 | 75* | 32.27 | 204.22 | 3/0 | 36/42 |
| 2023 | 11 | 226 | 67 | 20.55 | 143.95 | 2/0 | 28/6 |
| 2022 | 14 | 426 | 75 | 30.43 | 133.13 | 2/0 | 47/13 |
| 2021 | 8 | 98 | 33 | 16.33 | 130.67 | 0/0 | 7/4 |
| 2020 | 8 | 71 | 31 | 14.20 | 126.79 | 0/0 | 6/3 |
| 2019 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 4.50 | 100.00 | 0/0 | 1/0 |
His standout 141 off 55 balls in 2025 against Punjab Kings ranks as the third-highest IPL score and the highest by an Indian.
Early Career Milestones
He scored a century in his maiden U-16 match during the 2015–16 Vijay Merchant Trophy, amassing 1,200 runs at an average of 109.09. Sharma debuted for Punjab U-19 in the 2016 Vinoo Mankad Trophy, followed by captaining India U-19 to the Asia Cup title that year and contributing to their 2018 U-19 World Cup win with a fifty and 2/11 in the quarterfinal against Bangladesh.
Domestic Debuts and Rise
Sharma made his List A debut in the 2016-17 Vijay Hazare Trophy and first-class debut in the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy on October 6, 2017, against Himachal Pradesh, where he smashed 94 runs and took a wicket. His breakthrough came in the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, leading Punjab to their maiden title as the second-highest run-scorer with 485 runs in 10 innings (average 48.50, strike rate 192.46, including two centuries and three fifties).
Abhishek Sharma batting technique and strengths
His stance features a slightly open setup with hands positioned centrally under the belly button, enabling a high, fluid backlift and elongated swing arc for exceptional bat speed. He maintains quick hands for late commitments against pace variations, flexible wrists for final snaps, and excellent lead-arm extension to create “space” for acceleration, allowing 100m+ sixes despite his modest build.
Primary Strengths
Sharma excels at reading line and length early, with minimal trigger movements for balance and early head positioning. His arsenal includes lofted extra-cover drives, short-arm jabs over midwicket, punchy cut shots, pick-up pulls against back-of-length balls, and flat-bat shots, all powered by a strong bottom-hand grip and seamless weight transfer. Mentored by Yuvraj Singh and refined via golf drills suggested by Brian Lara, his pure, effortless swing generates elite T20 strike rates.
How Yuvraj Singh mentored Abhishek Sharmas batting
Yuvraj refined Sharma’s bat-flow and shot selection, emphasizing strike rotation over constant big hits despite Sharma’s natural power-hitting instinct. He conducted hands-on training sessions across Mohali, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, and Mumbai, instilling confidence that Sharma could win matches for India. Yuvraj also arranged specialized workshops, like one with Shikhar Dhawan before the England series, to master grounded cover and square drives while learning singles’ importance.
Daily Routine and Mindset
Yuvraj prescribed a rigorous schedule Sharma follows for 4-5 years: 4 AM wake-up for meditation, yoga, swimming, gym, then batting, bowling, and fielding practice. Post-performances, Yuvraj reinforced team-first priorities, advising sensible innings-building alongside aggression. He encouraged learning from legends like Brian Lara (who added golf for bat-swing) and maintained close oversight during lean patches, promising India readiness.
What changes occurred in Abhishek Sharmas batting post Yuvraj mentorship
He changed his grip and adopted an open-shoulder stance, enabling leg-side dominance and better front-foot alignment for lofted down-the-ground shots. These tweaks expanded his stroke options, including square-of-the-wicket scoring areas, while preserving his aggressive hitting shape.
Tactical and Mental Shifts
Post-mentorship, Sharma prioritized strike rotation and singles over constant six-hitting, learning to build innings sensibly for team needs across formats. His bat swing improved via golf (endorsed by Yuvraj and Brian Lara), boosting timing and power without altering his natural flair. This led to elite consistency, evident in his 2024-25 IPL surge and T20I records.
Summary
Abhishek Sharma has evolved from a prodigious U-19 talent into India’s most explosive modern T20 batter, blending raw power with refined technique under Yuvraj Singh’s mentorship. His IPL heroics and international milestones mark him as a cornerstone of India’s future batting lineup.