Former England captain Michael Vaughan reckons Abhishek Sharma can play all three formats for India, just like Yashasvi Jaiswal. Sharma is yet to get his maiden call-up with the national team however many experts are backing his selection after the T20 World Cup.
Sharma has scored 467 runs in 13 matches at an average of 38.92 and a strike rate of 209.42 in the ongoing IPL 2024. The pugnacious southpaw was once again at his best on Sunday, scoring a match-winning knock of 66 runs off just 28 balls against Punjab Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.
The left-hander was able to hit the ground running and punished the visitors’ bowlers in the Powerplay overs. The youngster scored five fours and six maximums in his blistering knock.
Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz, “If you go back to the story of Yashasvi Jaiswal, he jumped the rails quickly through the IPL and the Indian side. Been a revelation in Test match cricket. Probably early to say this, but Abhishek could do exactly the same.”
Vaughan compared Sharma’s bat swing with legendary batters like his former SRH’s coach Brian Lara and mentor Yuvraj Singh.
“He could easily do the same across all three formats. His technical side is excellent. He has got Brian Lara-esque and Yuvraj Singh-type swing of the willow.”
“Yashasvi has been a wonderful story, you don’t see many like that. Just arrive on the international stage and look like they have been playing for 15 years. But I think Abhishek isn’t far off,” said Vaughan.
After smashing six sixes against PBKS, Abhishek Sharma broke Virat Kohli’s record for the most sixes by an Indian batter in an IPL season. Sharma has smashed 41 maximums in the ongoing IPL 2024 whereas Kohli had scored 38 sixes in IPL 2016.
“When you think about how much talent has and how many great Indian batters are there in the IPL and he is top of the tree. Fantastic,” said Vaughan.
SRH will face Kolkata Knight Riders in the first qualifier at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
