Abhishek Sharma Gets Candid on Yuvraj Singh’s Influence on Him After Asia Cup Heroics

Abhishek Sharma revealed Yuvraj Singh aimed to prepare him, often seen as his successor, specifically for success with the senior Indian team.

Abhishek Sharma Gets Candid on Yuvraj Singh’s Influence on Him After Asia Cup Heroics

Abhishek Sharma opened about the mentorship that he received from Yuvraj Singh, following Asia Cup heroics. (via India Today)

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India’s 2025 Asia Cup hero and opener Abhishek Sharma opened up about the influence that former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh had on shaping his career throughout the years. Sharma revealed that he turned to Singh during his tough days, who in turn suggested him to remain patient. 

Abhishek Sharma has been a revelation in T20Is for India over the past year. The 25-year-old was in great form at the Asia Cup, winning the Player of the Tournament award after finishing as the highest run-getter with 314 runs in seven innings at an average of 44.86 and a strike-rate of 200. He hit three consecutive half-centuries in the ‘Super Four’ stage, in matches against Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. 

Such was Sharma’s dominance at the Asia Cup, as he became the first batter to surpass the 930 rating points mark on the ICC T20I Batting Rankings. It is no secret that 2011 World Cup-winning icon Yuvraj Singh has had a greater involvement in shaping Sharma’s career. Sharma, alongside three others, Shubman Gill, Prabhsimran Singh, and Anmolpreet Singh, was trained at Yuvraj Singh’s residence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview with Gaurav Kapur on ‘Breakfast with Champions’, Sharma suggested that the training camp with Singh became the turning point in his career. The southpaw admitted that his display in the IPL as well as in the domestic circuit was not up to the mark during the early 2020s, and even saw his peers, including U-19 World Cup peers Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, having made their debut for Indian men’s senior team. 

At that time, I was, to be very honest, struggling a bit. I wasn’t consistent even in the IPL, and I wasn’t even in the team’s playing eleven.

The 25-year-old then shared how a lunch with Yuvraj Singh changed the way he looked at his situation. The Indian all-round legend had informed Sharma that he was not preparing him for the IPL or the Ranji trophy, but to win matches for India, and had even predicted that he would make his international debut by the next two or three years. He revealed that Singh’s strong words instilled confidence in him, to achieve something bigger. 

Shubman [Gill] and I were sitting with Paji [Yuvraj Singh], having lunch. Paji directly told me, ‘I am not preparing you for the state team, I am not preparing you for the IPL, I am not preparing you just to handle things. I am preparing you to play for India.’

Furthermore, Abhishek Sharma also shared how Yuvraj Singh would involve himself in guiding young players, beyond simply analyzing their performances. He shared how the WC-winning legend would also offer technical inputs and mental guidance to his trainees.

Asia Cup Hero Abhishek Sharma In Line for India ODI Call-Up for Australia Tour

Young Indian T20I opener Abhishek Sharma might get an ODI call-up soon, following his 2025 Asia Cup heroics. The 25-year-old all-rounder might be rewarded with a place in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming white-ball tour to Australia, which will include three ODIs and five T20Is. 

Abhishek Sharma ODI
Abhishek Sharma is expected to be called-up to make his debut for the Indian ODI side, in the upcoming Australia tour. (via India Today)

Abhishek Sharma’s numbers in T20Is, since making his debut last year, have been phenomenal. In 23 matches, Sharma has scored 844 runs at a brilliant average of 38.36, hitting two hundreds and five fifties. This phenomenal output has also propelled him to the top of the ICC T20I Batting Rankings. The Punjab-born all-rounder has also occasionally showcased his bowling abilities, picking up six wickets.

However, the young opener is yet to make his debut in either the ODI or Test formats. With the Australia tour coming up later this month, it is being speculated that he might be called-up to the 50-over squad, given his ability to provide quick start to an innings. Sharma might be seen as a potential successor to Rohit Sharma, who is nearing the end of his cricketing career, opening alongside Shubman Gill. 

Abhishek Sharma’s numbers in List A cricket are impressive, having scored 2,014 runs in 61 matches at an average of 35.33 with four hundreds and eight fifties. Furthermore, Sharma could also provide a spin-bowling option in One-Day cricket, having scalped 38 wickets at an average of 37.15. 

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