A Father's Advice, A Cricket Player's Rejuvenation

Abhishek Sharma, Punjabi left-handed dynamo opener, is one of India's most promising young stars. But his rise to stardom wasn't overnight—it was guided by hard discipline and timely advice. The process begins with Yograj Singh, father of Indian cricket sensation Yuvraj Singh, who imparted an invaluable lesson to his son: "If you can subdue Abhishek's nightlife, he'll become a fantastic cricketer."

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Yuvraj followed that advice. He invited Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill to his house—not for comfort, but for toil. The environment was all about discipline: no celebration, no late-night revelry—severe focus and effort. Yograj even joked that Yuvraj had kept slippers in readiness to punish them if needed, comparing Abhishek to a "wild horse" who needed severe handling.

This was a period that was to become a turning point in Abhishek's life. It was not just about learning to play cricket, but about acquiring mental resilience, habit, and dedication—qualities that were to stand him in good stead throughout his professional life.

Can I recommend someone @YUVSTRONG12??? pic.twitter.com/xj0T4Vmenk

— Ishan's🤫🧘🧡 (@IshanWK32) April 21, 2025

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IPL Brilliance and International Breakthrough

After the lockdown, the harvest of this stringent grooming was apparent. Abhishek set ablaze the season of 2024 IPL as Sunrisers Hyderabad player. His aggressive and fearlessness approach allowed him to amass 484 runs from up to 16 matches with a stunning strike rate of over 204. His partnership with Travis Head stood as one of the standout pairings of the tournament.

SRH's former captain Kane Williamson has been effusive in praise of Abhishek's exceptional talent, describing him as a "natural ball timer" with the unusual ability to change shots in mid-air—a skill so second-order even at the international level.

Within a matter of time from his IPL heroics, Abhishek received an Indian T20 call-up. He carried his form in the national jersey as well, scoring two centuries in only 17 T20I matches, having a strike rate close to 194 and an average above 33.