Brian Lara Shares Abhishek Sharma’s Ambition to Play Test Cricket Despite T20I Success: ‘He Still Wants to Explore…’

Brian Lara fondly recalled his first impressions of Abhishek Sharma from their time together at Sunrisers Hyderabad during the COVID years.

Brian Lara Praises Abhishek Sharma’s Rise to T20I Supremacy

Batting legend Brian Lara shared his admiration for Abhishek Sharma, who has rapidly risen to the top of the ICC T20I rankings, establishing himself among the world’s elite openers in the shortest format. In the recently concluded Asia Cup, Abhishek justified his world number one status in T20Is, scoring 314 runs in 7 matches, including three half-centuries, with a highest score of 75. He maintained an impressive average of 44.85 and a strike rate of 200.00. Within just a year of his debut, Abhishek has become one of the most feared batters in T20 cricket against the new ball.

Brian Lara fondly recalled his first impressions of Abhishek during their time together at Sunrisers Hyderabad amid the COVID years. The West Indies great praised the youngster’s exceptional talent, highlighting his bat speed, timing, and the strong influence of Yuvraj Singh on his batting style.

Lara said,

“Well, I know Abhishek from SRH. I was there during the COVID times, maybe three or four years ago. And he’s an amazing young player. They had a lot of great young players in that squad that I was with, not just Abhishek. But I think he’s something very special. I think Yuvraj Singh had a big influence on him. His bat speed, the way he hits the ball, the way he hits through the ball.”

“Abhishek Sharma wants to find a way to get into Test team”

Brian Lara lauded Abhishek Sharma’s determination to expand his success beyond T20s and ODIs, revealing that the young batter frequently calls him for guidance. Lara described it as inspiring to see a player with such ambition striving to break into the Test side while continually improving his game.

Lara said,

“What’s an amazing thing, you know, he would give me a call and even with the success he’s having in T20 cricket, and maybe even in 50-over cricket, he still wants to find a way to get into the Test team, which is great for someone like that. Thinking big is very special. It’s not a soft spot. I think I’ve grown very fond of his cricket. And it’s great to see that he’s improved and reached a different level.”

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