Abhishek Sharma

Another young Indian talent from Uttar Pradesh, Abhishek Sharma is a stylish left-handed batsman who is a sensational striker of the ball. Despite his lean physique, Abhishek packs a punch and has the ability to hit the ball a long way. 

He looks a complete package with his left-arm spin and is also a brilliant fielder. Sharma is currently playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, having made his debut for the Delhi Daredevils, now Capitals back in 2018. 

The youngster led India to a victory in the U19 Youth Asia Cup in December 2016. The stylish southpaw also finished as the 2ndhighest wicket-taker. Two years later, Abhishek was part of the Indian U19 World Cup squad which won the tournament under the leadership of Prithvi Shaw. 

Sharma was part of the playing XI in all the games and his major contribution came in the quarter-final against Bangladesh when he scored an important half-century. He also proved to be a lethal weapon with the ball as the Indian left-arm spinners wreaked havoc all through the tournament. 

Abishek was the Indian U19 skipper in the 2017 Youth ODI’s against England which India won 3-1. Following the series, Prithvi Shaw was replaced as the skipper as he continued the captaincy duties till the World Cup which was eventually won by India. 

Abhishek first hogged the limelight in the Vijay Merchant Trophy in 2015-16 when he finished as the leading run-getter with 1200 runs in the domestic U 16 tournament. He followed it up with a dream debut at the U-19 level when he smashed a century for Punjab in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy. 

Following his return from the U19 World Cup, Sharma played the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Punjab. It was just before the World Cup that the 20-year-old made his Ranji Trophy debut and made an immediate impression with a knock of 94 against Himachal Pradesh.  

It was Delhi Daredevils, now capitals who acquired his services in the IPL back in 2018 for just Rs 55 lakhs. He made a sensational IPL debut smashing a whirlwind 46 of just 19 deliveries against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. 

That innings made people look and take notice of him. However, he wasn’t required much in the latter part of the tournament and went to Sunrisers Hyderabad from the Capitals in 2019. 

His left-arm spin has come in handy in the IPL and the SRH skipper David Warner has used him well. He also did a great job with the bat and one of his most notable contributions came in the 4th match of the 2020 edition of IPL when he stitched a great partnership with his longtime mate Priyam Garg. The partnership proved to be a game-changer as Hyderabad defeated the Chennai Super Kings by 7 runs. 

Not yet called up the national selectors, Abhishek has been warming himself up in the domestic circuit for the big moment. In the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy, he was the star man in the clash against Puducherry. 

Punjab's Abhishek Sharma leapfrogged over Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli in an elite List A cricket list when he smashed a sensational hundred in a Vijay Hazare clash against Madhya Pradesh. The left-handed batsman scored a brilliant 42-ball ton, the 2nd fastest in List A cricket by an Indian player. 

Going into the 2021 edition of IPL, Abhishek’s T20 form has been splendid in the 2020-21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy when the youngster cracked his maiden T20 century to help Punjab thrash the Railways by 117 runs in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match. Sharma would be hoping to showcase his power-hitting skills in the IPL and give himself any chance of making it into the Indian national squad.

(As of March 2021)