Abhishek Sharma‘s meteoric rise in the IPL 2024 season has not gone unnoticed, with the young left-hander impressing with his striking ability and accumulating 288 runs in just eight games for Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, despite his remarkable performances, former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh believes that Abhishek still needs time to mature before being considered for international selection.
Yuvraj Singh, who has closely observed Abhishek Sharma’s progress, feels that while the 23-year-old is on the right path, he is not yet ready for the upcoming World Cup. Singh emphasized the importance of experience in a World Cup squad and suggested that Abhishek should focus on further developing his game in the next six months.
“Abhishek is almost there but I don’t think he is ready for the World Cup right now,” said India’s white ball legend told Cricbuzz. His comments come ahead of Indian team selection for the World Cup, in June in the US and West Indies.
“For the World Cup, we have to take an experienced side. Obviously some guys have played for India. After the World Cup, he should be prepared to play for India. That is what he should focus on. Coming six months will be very important for Abhishek,” Yuvraj said.
Although Abhishek Sharma has showcased an impressive strike rate of 218.18 in the IPL, Yuvraj Singh believes that he needs to deliver a few significant innings to solidify his case for selection in the Indian team. Singh highlighted the importance of converting good starts into big scores, stating that while a high strike rate is valuable, big innings are essential to prove one’s worth at the international level.
“His performance definitely is better. His strike rate has been phenomenal but big scores haven’t come. With this kind of strike rate, it’s important that you get big scores if you want to compete for a spot to play for India. Great strike rates, yes, but there have to be a couple of big knocks to make sure that you are worthwhile to play for India.”
One area of improvement identified by Yuvraj Singh is Abhishek Sharma’s ability to rotate the strike and play out good bowlers. While Abhishek has excelled in hitting boundaries, Singh feels that he needs to work on his ability to take singles and manipulate the field.
“He has the ability to play big shots, the big sixes which he has been hitting are very good, but I think he has to learn to take singles and know how to rotate strike. He has to learn play out the bowlers who are bowling well and target other bowlers. I think work has to be done on that aspect,” Yuvraj said.
Yuvraj Singh has been actively involved in mentoring Abhishek Sharma, focusing on refining his technique and instilling confidence, particularly in facing short-pitched deliveries. Singh believes that young players should approach international cricket with the mindset that they can compete against any bowler.
“Abhishek has the ability to play big shots, the big sixes which he has been hitting are very good, but I think he has to learn to take singles and know how to rotate strike. He has to learn play out the bowlers who are bowling well and target other bowlers. I think work has to be done on that aspect,” Yuvraj said.
Abhishek Sharma has the opportunity to learn from his SRH opening partner, Australian star Travis Head, who has a wealth of experience in converting good starts into substantial innings. Singh highlighted Head’s ability to perform in high-pressure situations, emphasizing the importance of learning from such seasoned players.
“He is definitely getting a lot of confidence from Travis Head. Travis is a world class player right now. He got a hundred in the World Cup final, he is a big match player. Abhishek has the opportunity to learn how to convert a good start into a big knock. That is what he has to learn from him.”
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