How Abhishek Sharma’s fast starts are rewriting India’s T20 template

Jatin

Abhishek Sharma has redefined T20 batting [Source: AFP Photos]Abhishek Sharma has redefined T20 batting [Source: AFP Photos]


India’s Super Four clash against Bangladesh in Asia Cup 2025 on Wednesday wasn’t just another game. It was Abhishek Sharma putting his stamp on India’s T20 blueprint.

His 75 off 37 balls, packed with 6 fours and 5 sixes, gave India a flying start they desperately needed. The knock was calculated destruction which left Bangladesh bowlers scratching their heads.

India’s innings had all the makings of a typical T20 rollercoaster: early fireworks, middle overs stumbling, a finish that never quite took off. But the tone was set right at the top, thanks to Abhishek’s fearless swing of the willow.

For years, India’s openers have been told to “get your eye in first.” Abhishek clearly didn’t get the memo. Against Bangladesh, he smashed a fifty off 25 balls, peppering the ropes with sixes and fours like he was swatting away flies.

The big shift up top

This is where Abhishek is changing India’s T20 story. Instead of playing the waiting game, he forces the opposition onto the back foot right from ball one. Bowlers can’t pitch it up, can’t drop short, can’t even rely on cutters because he finds a way to muscle them over the fence.

He doesn’t allow spinners to settle either, going down on one knee and launching them deep into the stands. It’s high-risk, high-reward stuff, but when it comes off, the scoreboard looks like it’s on steroids.

The Asia Cup pattern

The knock against Bangladesh wasn’t a one-off. Abhishek has been dishing out quickfire starts all through Asia Cup 2025:

  • vs UAE: 30 off 16 (SR 187.5)
  • vs Pakistan (Group): 31 off 13 (SR 238.4)
  • vs Oman: 38 off 15 (SR 253.3)
  • vs Pakistan (Super Four): 74 off 39 (SR 189.7, 9x6s)
  • vs Bangladesh (Super Four): 75 off 37 (SR 202.7)

That is 248 runs at a strike rate over 206.66 with 17 sixes in just five innings. He isn’t just starting quick; he is blowing games open inside the first six overs.

Powerplay punch

India scored 72/0 in the first six overs against Bangladesh, their highest powerplay score of the tournament. Abhishek’s approach is clear: no sighters, no second thoughts. He goes downtown, over cover, pulls, sweeps, slogs, the full array.

Compare this to India’s past powerplays, where anchors chewed up 20 balls for 20 runs. Abhishek’s fast starts are forcing bowlers to panic early, leaving captains scrambling for plan B before the innings even warms up.

Six-hitting machine

Here is the staggering bit: Abhishek Sharma has already broken Rohit Sharma’s record for most sixes in a single T20 Asia Cup. His six-hitting frequency? Roughly one every 6-7 balls this tournament. That is not slogging. That is controlled mayhem.

Against UAE, Abhishek hit three sixes. Against Oman he smashed two sixes, against Pakistan he cleared the fence seven times across two games and against Bangladesh he peppered the stands five more times. He is turning boundaries into a habit, not a luxury.

The downside of chaos

But here is the rub. Aggression comes with risk. His run-out against Bangladesh at 112/2 didn’t just cost him a possible hundred, it stalled India’s finish. From looking set for 180+, India closed at 168/6.

The balance between going berserk and batting deep is where Abhishek still has room to grow. But in modern T20 cricket, that trade-off feels worth it. A turbo-charged 30–40 in the powerplay often tilts the game more than a scratchy 60 later.

Why India needs him now

India’s batting has long been built around safety nets: one anchor, one aggressor and a middle order to bail things out. Abhishek is tearing that script. He is showing that fearless, front-loaded batting is the way forward. And with players like Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya to follow, India suddenly looks like a side that can blow away attacks rather than rebuild them.

Conclusion

Abhishek Sharma is changing the way India plays T20 cricket. His 75 against Bangladesh was the latest in a string of whirlwind starts. Add his six-hitting spree and strike rates north of 200 and you see why fans are calling him India’s new game-changer.

He is not playing by the old rules of “get set, then go.” He is writing a fresh playbook. 

Less anchor, more anarchy. Less waiting, more walloping. 

And if this is the new template, Indian cricket might just have found its powerplay king!