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Abhishek Sharma smashes 45 sixes in nets; makes intentions clear for T20 World Cup

Anurag Dasgupta

Abhishek Sharma smashes 45 sixes in nets [Source: AFP Photo]Abhishek Sharma smashes 45 sixes in nets [Source: AFP Photo]

India’s T20I superstar, Abhishek Sharma, is a six-hitting monster as the batter loves to take the aerial route and go over the field. His reputation as a slam-bang batter increased after the IPL 2024, where he tore apart the opposition bowlers alongside his partner in crime, Travis Head. Since then, he has continued to dazzle with his ultra-aggressive approach.

On Sunday, the left-handed Punjab opener was involved in a six-hitting show as he made a mockery of his teammate, Gaurav Chaudhary, and other net bowlers, during a net session ahead of Punjab’s clash with Uttarakhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Abhishek's tactical gameplan against spinners

According to the reporters from The Tribune who were present at the net session, Abhishek Sharma had a gala time during the session as he smashed at least 45 sixes, and every time the ball was tossed up, it was dispatched with disdain, as he made his intentions clear for the upcoming T20 World Cup and how he is going to approach the bowlers.

Batting at the Anantam Cricket Ground, defence was not on his mind as Abhishek had a clear game plan to attack every delivery. Moreover, the star batter only wanted to face spinners in the nets - off-breaks, leg-breaks and slow left-arm orthodox, every type of bowler on a surface that had something on offer for the spinners.

The deliveries from the bowler caused some trouble as the surface offered some grip, but despite that, Abhishek looked in full-flow and smacked 45 sixes with ease.

Throughout the net session, Abhishek had one specific shot which he preferred, and it was the inside-out six over the covers. It was played so often that the Punjab coach, Sandeep Sharma, jokingly said in Punjabi - “Tu apni century poori karan layi extra cover de upar hi chakke maarna chaunda ae (You want to complete your century with only sixes over extra cover).”

Abhishek's six-hitting display in T20Is this year

This year, the Indian opener has taken his game to the next level with his brute-hitting in T20s. Right from the start, Abhishek was given the freedom by his team to go after the bowlers, and he utilised the freedom to perfection. Playing for Punjab, SRH, and India this year, the southpaw played 41 T20 matches and smacked 108 sixes, the third most by a batter this year.

Only Karanbir Singh from Austria and Nicholas Pooran sit higher than him in the list, but interestingly, Pooran played 20 more matches than him, and it showcases Abhishek’s ability to clear the fence with ease.

He also finished with 1602 runs, with a strike rate of 202.01 as the batter ended the year as the number 1 ranked T20I batter.