Abhishek Sharma’s fearless approach has made him one of the most destructive openers in T20 cricket, but Dinesh Karthik believes the left-hander is adding another dimension to his game. The former India wicketkeeper has praised the India opener’s growing awareness and consistency, saying his ability to combine aggression with smart decision-making sets him apart.
Speaking on Cricbuzz after Abhishek’s explosive knock against the West Indies in Indore, Karthik highlighted how the opener has evolved beyond power-hitting to become a consistent threat across conditions.
IND vs WI, 3rd T20I: Highlights | Scorecard
“He’s a fantastic opener. In him, India have someone who is extremely destructive against any attack. He can take it on in the big moments as well,” Karthik said.
“He’s got the skills, he’s got the shots, and now he’s become a consistent scorer of runs at that strike rate, which is what makes him so special,” he added.
HOW ABHISHEK SHARMA SCRIPTED HISTORY VS WI
Abhishek smashed 69 off just 30 balls, including six fours and five sixes, as India posted 223 all out at the Holkar Stadium. His 108-run stand with Ishan Kishan, who made 37 off 18 balls, put India in control before a middle-order collapse checked their momentum. India eventually defended their total by 14 runs, with Arshdeep Singh taking three wickets to help them take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Abhishek brought up his half-century in just 18 deliveries. He also became the fastest batter to reach 2,000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced, taking 1,024 deliveries to reach the milestone and surpassing Suryakumar Yadav’s previous mark of 1,164 balls.
Karthik pointed to Abhishek’s approach against West Indies spinner Roston Chase as evidence of his growing maturity, noting how the opener initially assessed the conditions before returning to his attacking game.
“He knocked the first couple of balls around and tried to assess what the pitch was doing. And then he went back to his attacking game,” Karthik said.
YUVRAJ’S GUIDANCE, ABHISHEK’S GROWTH
Karthik also credited former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who has mentored Abhishek, for helping the youngster refine his approach to T20 batting.
“Abhishek Sharma is learning from the best, and you can see how he’s able to pace an innings,” Karthik said.
He added that Abhishek’s ability to score against strong opposition while maintaining consistency was particularly impressive. For Karthik, the challenge is to retain that attacking instinct while continuing to deliver runs regularly.
“He’s doing it. That’s why he’s rated as one of the best players in the world,” he said.
Abhishek will have another opportunity to build on his Indore performance when India face the West Indies in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday, October 14. With India leading the series 2-1, another strong start from the opener could prove crucial as the hosts look to seal the series with a match to spare.
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