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Indian opener Abhishek Sharma scored 84 off 35 and struck eight sixes against New Zealand in the first T20I. (Express Photo by Dhananjay Khedkar)
It stings Rajkumar Sharma, Abhishek Sharma’s father and childhood coach, when he hears talk of his son being an all-out attack ballbasher. “He always has the team’s interests in mind. There have been times when I have selfishly told him to play more carefully when he is getting to a 50 or 100, but he refuses,” he told The Indian Express last month. “This is a player who built his abilities playing with the red ball. He has spent a long time building his match temperament. He doesn’t just go after every ball without thinking.”
As he went about plundering eight sixes and five fours on his way to a 35-ball 84 in the first T20I against New Zealand in Nagpur on Wednesday, Rajkumar’s words felt like a tale spun by a sentimental loved one. His son was going after the Kiwi bowlers with disdain. Yet, shades of those sentiments felt true in the formation of yet another match-winning contribution from the 25-year-old who has rapidly become the axis on which India’s batting is held together in the shortest format.
MUST READ | How Abhishek Sharma has rivalled Chris Gayle to become fastest to 5000 T20 runs
There were smarts to go with the brawn and the relentless hitting. He quickly read the nature of the surface that did not play out like a flat-track belter but instead showed characteristics of being a bit low and slow, with New Zealand’s pacers getting the ball to grip by taking the pace off it. It often foxed the teammates who shared the crease with him. He smartly found his moments to strike, going after bowlers that consistently missed their lengths and went under pressure, but also chose to rotate strike when the ball was not coming onto his bat. When Suryakumar Yadav was finding strokemaking tough, he took on the responsibility of not letting the free flow of runs stop.
Abhishek Sharma also became the fastest to score 5000 T20 runs. (Express Photo by Dhananjay Khedkar)
The 84 runs came to all corners of the ground at a phenomenal striking rate. The first six, a delightful straight drive off an over-pitched ball over Jacob Duffy’s head, set the template. Abhishek bent his knee to balls that stuck low and timed them into the crowd with ease. He cut and flicked and swiped sixes off his hips against both tall spinners like Mitchell Santner and tall pacers like Kyle Jamieson, even as they scrambled speeds and length to turn off the leaky tap of runs. He rode his luck, shrugging off a couple of misfields and a dropped catch, by continuing to go after the balls that came into his radar.
HIGHLIGHTS | India vs New Zealand 1st T20I – Nagpur
By the time New Zealand heaved a sigh of relief, seeing him depart while attempting another heave over long on, their bowlers were left wondering if their execution had been so off the mark as the 150 runs they conceded in 12 overs was making it seem. It had not.
In their recent form, India’s top order is showing signs of greater reliance on the continuation of Abhishek’s extended purple patch going into their defence of the T20 World Cup at home next month. This was his eighth 50+ score since his international debut in July 2024, in which time he is India’s highest-runscorer by a margin of over 300 runs at a strike rate of 190.92. India are currently sweating on the fitness of their next highest accumulator, Tilak Varma.
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But fine knocks, like the one in Nagpur, paper over cracks well. In the past few years, it has been considered a cheat code for India to have Jasprit Bumrah as their strike bowler with the new ball. In the T20 format, they seem to have developed one at the top of their batting too.
Namit Kumar is a Senior Sports Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. He is known for his versatile reporting across several major sports disciplines. Professional Profile Specializations: He covers a wide variety of sports including tennis, football, cricket, and motorsports. Focus: His writing often delves into the finer details and technical analysis of the sports he covers. Social Media: You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @namitkumar_17. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Namit’s recent work focuses heavily on international cricket series and domestic tournaments, as well as high-profile global tennis events: International Cricket (India vs South Africa Series): "Intelligence, skill, and heart: How Arshdeep Singh took out Reeza Hendricks" (Dec 15, 2025) — A detailed analysis of Arshdeep's tactical comeback in the T20I series. "How India's seamers froze South Africa in chilly Dharamshala" (Dec 14, 2025). "Why India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill losing form, is the start of a blunt headache" (Dec 12, 2025) — An analytical piece on the statistics and form of India's leadership duo. "Quinton de Kock dismantles Indian bowling combination with silent savagery" (Dec 11, 2025). Domestic Cricket (Ranji Trophy): "Ranji Trophy: J&K conquer Kotla and Delhi for first time" (Nov 11, 2025) — Reporting on the historic first win for Jammu & Kashmir over Delhi in the tournament's history. "What makes J&K pacer Auqib Nabi special" (Nov 8, 2025) — A profile on the pacer's accuracy and swing. "Unearthing the next Virat Kohli still a while away but Delhi's young batting talent full of promise" (Oct 24, 2025). Tennis and Golf: "Jannik Sinner's winter-time madness: How Italian refined his game to beat Alcaraz" (Nov 17, 2025) — A deep dive into Sinner’s technical improvements following his US Open loss. "Everyone's come to watch Rory McIlroy but keep an eye out for 'people's champion' Tommy Fleetwood" (Oct 17, 2025). Football Tactics: "Why are long throw-ins giving football defenders and lawmakers a headache?" (Nov 2, 2025) — An analytical piece on the evolving strategies surrounding throw-ins in modern football. Reporting Style Namit is active in covering the Delhi sports scene, providing detailed match reports for international cricket matches and Ranji Trophy fixtures at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. He also provides on-the-ground reporting for happenings in the city, such as his recent coverage of the DP World India Championship golf event. Additionally, he actively writes on tennis, analysing matches and reporting on major events, especially during the Grand Slam tournaments. ... Read More
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