Anil Kumble advises Abhishek Sharma to adapt his batting approach
What's the story
Ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, former India captain and coach Anil Kumble has advised Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) Abhishek Sharma to strike a balance between aggressive batting and spending more time at the crease. Kumble compared Sharma's style to that of legendary Indian opener Virender Sehwag, emphasizing the need for him to adapt his innings pacing.
Strategy shift
Kumble highlights the importance of innings pacing
"I would relate him to someone like Virender Sehwag, because he would look to smash every ball," he said on JioStar, as reported by PTI. He then added that as Sehwag transitioned from Tests to ODIs and T20s, he learned the importance of pacing his innings differently. Kumble emphasized that while Sharma has the potential for quick scoring, he must spend more time at the crease for a greater impact.
T20 tactics
Kumble compares Sharma's game to Sanju Samson
Kumble stressed the need for Sharma to play more balls, saying, "If Abhishek Sharma bats 20 balls in an innings, we know he will be close to that 50 mark." He compared this with Sanju Samson's ability to avoid getting out in the 40s or 50s and instead going deeper into his innings. Kumble hopes this maturity will be seen in Sharma's game this IPL season.
Pressure management
AB de Villiers emphasizes need for consistency from Sharma
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers also stressed the need for consistency from Sharma amid rising expectations. He said, "He's 25, not 20 anymore. So, this is definitely the phase where he has to start taking more responsibility." De Villiers further added that dealing with expectations will be key for Sharma in the upcoming season.
Stats
A look at the batter's IPL and T20 stats
Sharma struck at 193.49 in the IPL 2025 season, smashing 439 runs. He hit 28 sixes. Overall, the southpaw owns 1,816 runs from 77 IPL matches at 27.10. He has smashed 101 sixes (SR: 163.01). Sharma can go berserk from the powerplay overs itself. He has a keen eye for sixes. As per ESPNcricinfo, Abhishek is closing in on 500 T20 sixes (493).