Abhishek Sharma is an X-Factor player, have to give longer rope: Piyush Chawla

Before the five-match T20I series against England, Abhishek Sharma may have felt a little pressure. Last year, in his second T20I match, he struck an incredible century against Zimbabwe. But in the ensuing games, he was unable to fully showcase his skill. With players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill waiting in the wings, many pundits and fans believe that the Punjab batter’s T20I match against England was a critical task.

On Wednesday, January 22, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the 24-year-old hit a match-winning 74 off 39 balls in the inaugural Twenty20 International, yet he displayed no indications of nerves. After the young player’s brilliant knock, Piyush Chawla congratulated him and declared him the X-factor player in the Indian T20 setup. The former India leg-spinner pleaded with the team’s leadership to extend his contract.

“Batting Abhishek Sharma carries a lot of danger. He will have a game-winning innings when he scores runs. Since Abhishek is an X-factor player, he will need 20–22 balls to reach 60 runs. You need to give these people a longer rope. Despite having a poor start today, he reached his fifty in just twenty balls. This illustrates his mentality and the range of his shots. Piyush Chawla stated on JioCinema, “He plays big shots and uses the long levers.”

By failing to use bouncers early on against Abhishek Sharma, the England bowlers lost a trick: Parthiv Patel

According to Parthiv Patel, if England bowlers had utilized the short ball earlier in Abhishek’s innings, they could have caused him some problems. The veteran wicketkeeper praised the Indian opener for remaining true to his style of play despite the circumstances.

“Considering that he lacked much shape, there was undoubtedly a question mark on his spot. However, he seemed deliberate in his approach today. In my opinion, the England bowlers lost a trick by failing to use bouncers against Abhishek Sharma early on. But that’s his style of play,” Parthiv Patel stated on a separate JioCinema feed.

Sharma’s ability to stick to his game plan despite not having a run of scores is what I truly admire about him. He had success with this during his time playing for India and in the IPL. He scored 100 points against Zimbabwe. He still takes the same strategy. When you are unable to score runs, you may withdraw as a batter and attempt to score 30–40 before altering your hitting strategy. But in my opinion, Abhishek Sharma didn’t do that, so it’s encouraging in terms of his attitude,” he said.

In just 12.5 overs, India chased down a target of 133 runs and won the first Twenty20 International by seven wickets. The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is set to host the second Twenty20 International on Saturday, January 25.