Abhishek Sharma.
Credit: PTI Photo
To hammer 68 runs off 28 balls is impressive, but to do that without playing out a single dot ball is unheard of.
Abhishek Sharma meant business when he came out to open the innings in the third T20I against New Zealand at Guwahati. The southpaw stepped out to slog a six off his first ball even as he had seen his partner Sanju Samson depart for a golden duck.
Once he had the stunning start, there was no looking back. Abhishek breezed to a 14-ball half-century -- India's second fastest in the history of the format, only behind his mentor Yuvraj Singh.
At the end of the 10th over, the 25-year-old had overseen one of the most breathtaking run-chases. India had chased down 153 runs in just 10 overs. In his 20 balls, Abhishek had hit the ball to the boundary 12 times, including seven fours and five sixes.
As brutal as the knock was, it did not come across as a surprise. Abhishek has created a stir at the top of the order ever since he replaced World Cup winning captain and T20I legend Rohit Sharma following his retirement in 2024.
"That’s what my team wants from me and I just want to execute all the time," Abhishek said after the match.
Beyond the numbers
Abhishek has proven to be a "cheat code" in the shortest format. Since his debut a week after India won the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, the Punjab-based batter became the fastest to 1,000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced and has a mindboggling strike rate of 195.22 in the 36 matches that he has represented the country.
This has come with a healthy average of 38 and a highest score of 135 against a decent England bowling.
His impact was best felt in the Asia Cup, a tournament that saw middling scores on most occasions on slower UAE pitches. Abhishek took charge, smashing 314 runs and striking at 200 runs per 100 balls.
The starts that the opener gave India proved to be decisive on pitches that became tougher as the game moved on. His team went on to lift the title undefeated.
Abhishek's form meant that India did not struggle despite his opening partner Shubman Gill, captain Suryakumar Yadav, and an out-of-place Sanju Samson having forgettable tournaments.
The batter, who also offers some left-arm spin, has taken bowling attacks to the cleaners, often proving to be the difference within the powerplay, making it easier for the batters to follow.
Abhishek first showed glimpses of his potential in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season when his 484 runs came at a staggering strike rate of 204.22. That season SunRisers Hyderabad finished runner-ups. An India call-up was inevitable with both Rohit and Virat Kohli announcing retirements.
He followed it with another IPL season in excess of 400 runs and a strike rate of 193.7 even as his team struggled.
Still new in his international career, Abhishek announced himself with a century against Zimbabwe in his first series, but was inconsistent in the first year. He could only manage one more half-century in 11 other innings, finishing his first year of top-tier cricket with an average of 23.
However, working closely with mentor Yuvraj Singh helped become more consistent. In 2025, he top-order star maintained an average of 42 and a strike rate of 193, including five 50s and a century in 21 innings.
The road ahead
With his high risk-high reward game, Abhishek understands that he will not be able to pull such innings each time, something that was seen in his first-ball duck in the second T20I against New Zealand.
"Obviously, it’s not easy to do it every time, but I think it it’s all about mental as well and the atmosphere you get around the dressing room," he had said after the whirlwind knock in the third match.
At just 25 years, Abhishek already has over 5,000 T20 runs -- the fastest to the milestone -- including eight centuries. The swashbuckling opener is set to enter his first T20 World Cup as the highest-ranked T20 batter and will want to continue his form.
With the high-octane tournament in India, Abhishek has an opportunity to stamp his authority and become India's "cheat code" as the hosts look to defend their title and become the only team to win three T20 World Cups.