Watch: Abhishek Sharma hones his bowling skills with father's assistance
What's the story
Team India opener Abhishek Sharma has been honing his bowling skills with the help of his father, Raj Kumar Sharma. A video shared by Abhishek on his Instagram story shows him practicing spot bowling during a training session. Raj Kumar, a former district-level cricketer and Abhishek's childhood coach, supervised the practice session.
Bowling prowess
Abhishek's bowling prowess
Abhishek, a left-arm spinner, can be a potent bowling option for Team India.
The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) star had an impressive performance in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals (RR).
He bowled four overs, conceding just 24 runs and taking two wickets.
He claimed the wickets of Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer.
Acknowledgment
Father Raj Kumar's role
In the post-match interview after the aforementioned Qualifier game, Abhishek credited his father for helping him improve his bowling skills.
He said, "To be honest, I didn't know it was going to be this match (bowling four overs). But I was very much ready for my bowling because I have been working hard on my bowling."
He added that he wanted to work on his bowling with his dad after a few good years with batting.
Career stats
Abhishek's bowling stats
Abhishek has taken 58 T20 wickets at an economy rate of 7.64.
In the IPL, he has claimed 11 scalps in 36 innings at an economy rate of 9.04.
However, his recent batting form hasn't been up to the mark as he failed to score in double digits during India's tour of Zimbabwe earlier this year.
Next challenge
India's upcoming series against Afghanistan
Despite his recent struggles, Abhishek remains a key player for Team India, having scored 1,629 runs at a stunning strike rate of 187.24.
The Men in Blue, in their last T20I assignment, completed a 3-0 whitewash against Zimbabwe in July.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was named Player of the Tournament with 151 runs in three matches.
India will soon face Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series at home, starting September 13 in Delhi.