On a windy night in Durban in 2007, Yuvraj Singh set the cricket world ablaze by smashing six consecutive sixes off Stuart Broad, reaching the fastest fifty (12 balls) in T20I history for India. A decade later, Rohit Sharma tore apart Sri Lanka’s bowling attack in Indore, registering the fastest T20I century (35 balls) by an Indian, a record that still stands as the joint-fastest in T20Is among Test-playing nations.
Fast forward to Sunday night at Wankhede, and Abhishek Sharma—a mentee of Yuvraj Singh and sharing a surname with Rohit—delivered an innings reminiscent of both those historic knocks.
Record-Breaking Night for Abhishek Sharma
Despite falling just short of Yuvraj’s and Rohit’s speed records, Abhishek etched his name in the record books by:
✅ Scoring a 17-ball fifty, making him the second-fastest Indian to reach the milestone.
✅ Blazing to a 37-ball century, again ranking second only to Rohit Sharma.
✅ Hitting 13 sixes in an innings, breaking the record for most sixes by an Indian batter in a T20I match.
✅ Setting a new high score for India in T20Is, surpassing the 130-run mark, an achievement no other Indian had managed before.
Such was Abhishek’s dominance that his 135-run tally alone outscored England’s entire team, as the visitors were bundled out for a total well below his personal score.
Guidance from Yuvraj Singh & Brian Lara
Abhishek’s transformation into a destructive T20 force hasn’t happened overnight. He credited his mentor Yuvraj Singh for backing him and shared a key piece of advice he received from the legendary Brian Lara during his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.
🗣️ “Brian Lara told me one thing – ‘Just play your shots, but make sure you don’t get out.’ That’s what I kept in my mind, and it helped me. I felt I could hit shots off the first or second ball too,” Abhishek said after India wrapped up the series 4-1 against England.
The young southpaw also emphasized the importance of intent in his game:
🗣️ “When you are young, you don’t explore much, but I did and realized I could play with more intent. When it’s my day, I have to play my natural game, whether for Punjab or my franchise. Playing for India is a special moment, and I want to nourish my ability.”
A Star in the Making
Abhishek Sharma’s ability to use the pace of the ball and clear the boundary with ease makes him one of the most exciting young talents in Indian cricket. If he continues this red-hot form, it may not be long before he threatens or even surpasses the records set by his idols, Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma.
Cricket fans may have just witnessed the rise of India’s next T20 superstar. 🚀