06/07/2024
**Abhishek Sharma: An Emerging Star**
Those interested in IPL might remember that this year Sunrisers Hyderabad had two openers: one was Travis Head and the other was this young lad, Abhishek Sharma. When both of them settled on the pitch, it was a nightmare for the bowlers. In one match against Lucknow, they chased a target of 166 in just the 10th over. If Travis Head continues his legacy for a while, there won't be a more dangerous batsman; people will forget about McCullum and Gayle.
Abhishek Sharma also maintained an aggressive style in this IPL. Sometimes he was sent as an opener, sometimes at one-down, but he consistently created remarkable innings. Amidst a team like Hyderabad filled with batsmen like Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, and Aiden Markram, his aggressive batting grabbed everyone's attention.
Such was his aggression that, as a top-order batsman, he never played 30 balls in a single innings. Despite this, he scored 400 runs in the season with a strike rate above 200. This year, Hyderabad posted two massive totals. First, in March against Mumbai, they scored 277, where Abhishek came at one-down after an early wicket fell. Then, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma wreaked havoc on Mumbai's bowlers. That year was already bad for Mumbai, but they will never forget the day when Travis Head scored 62 runs off 24 balls, including nine fours and three sixes, while Abhishek scored 63 runs off 23 balls with seven sixes and three fours. Both were back in the pavilion by the end of the 11th over.
About two weeks later, Hyderabad took on Bangalore and posted another big total of 287. This time, Travis Head scored 102 runs off 41 balls, while Abhishek managed 34 runs.
Even better were the innings played while chasing. When Abhishek played a magnificent innings of 66 runs off 28 balls in pursuit of 215, that day, Travis Head got out for 0. Then chasing a target of 167 was remarkable, where Travis Head scored 89 runs off 30 balls with eight sixes and eight fours, while Abhishek scored 75 runs off 28 balls with eight fours and six sixes. The target was chased without losing a wicket in the 10th over.
When the season ended, Abhishek Sharma had hit the most sixes in this year's IPL. Like Travis Head, left-handed Abhishek Sharma might play his first international match against Zimbabwe tomorrow. It's a great opportunity for him to showcase his aggressive style and justify his selection. There is a difference between IPL and international cricket, and between Indian pitches and Harare grounds. This will be his real test because if he overcomes this difficult phase, it won't be long before another Sharma, "Abhishek Sharma," replaces Rohit Sharma as an opener. It also depends on the team management on where they adjust him in the lineup. But one thing is certain from his selection in the team: India has now developed a mindset for players with an aggressive approach. Traditional cricket is a bit behind now; India has changed its approach and is bringing in new players like Abhishek. Let's see how successful they can be.