3 qualities that make Abhishek Sharma a prolific T20 opener
What's the story
Indian opener Abhishek Sharma extended his incredible run after hammering 82 off just 32 balls in the 1st T20I against Afghanistan. The knock, which came at a strike rate of 256.25, helped India chase down 157 in just 13.4 overs. It once again highlighted why he is regarded as one of the most destructive batters in the shortest format. Here are the qualities that make Abhishek a prolific T20 opener.
#1
Attack from Ball 1
Abhishek's biggest strength is his willingness to attack from Ball 1.
The left-handed dasher has his eyes glued to the ball, not the bowler or their reputation. That's why he is always looking for that big shot from the outset.
His ability to target both pace and spin makes him particularly difficult to contain during the powerplay.
#2
Not abandoning aggressive approach; learning from mistakes
Abhishek can single-handedly change the momentum of a T20 innings. But this attribute didn't come without its flaws.
He has often been targeted with short deliveries, which have challenged his aggressive approach. So did the off-spin ploy in the Powerplay during this year's ICC T20 World Cup.
However, Abhishek never abandoned his counter-attacking approach. His free-flowing strokes have answered everything so far.
#3
Marathon knocks
Abhishek not only dazzles in the Powerplay but also dominates in every phase. When on song, the fielding restrictions don't matter for the dasher.
Abhishek has recorded four scores of 130 or more in T20s, the most for any batter. Aaron Finch and Chris Gayle are the other batters with more than two such scores (3 each).
Abhishek's 135 is the highest individual T20I score for India.