Abhishek Sharma was in exceptional batting form during the first T20I between India and England on Wednesday in Kolkata. The SRH star blasted 79 runs off 34 balls, helping India reach 133/3 in just 12.5 overs in their chase of 132. It was a low-scoring chase, with Tilak Varma (19*) and Hardik Pandya (6*) remaining unbeaten.

Earlier, Jos Buttler (68) anchored England's innings as they posted 132 in 20 overs. Varun Chakravarthy was the standout bowler for India, taking three wickets.

Abhishek Sharma also grabbed attention after the match, crediting several cricket legends for their guidance throughout his career. The 24-year-old has had the privilege of working closely with some cricketing greats, particularly at SRH. “I consider myself very lucky in this regard,” he said.

“I started working with Yuvi paaji [Yuvraj Singh], and later, I had Brian Lara, who really helped me at SRH. Dan Vettori also played a key role by encouraging everyone to express themselves, which gave me the freedom to play my shots. Yuvraj Singh, Brian Lara, and even Gauti bhai now just want me to showcase my talent and back myself,” he added.

The Punjab native has become a significant talking point in Indian cricket, especially after his heroics in IPL 2024. He has been regarded as a potential replacement for senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, with some even comparing him to the legendary Virender Sehwag. Abhishek is also known to be a close friend of Yuvraj, whom he considers a mentor.

Abhishek made his India debut in June last year against Zimbabwe in Harare. Since then, he has represented India in 13 T20Is, amassing 335 runs at a strike rate of 183.06 and an average of 27.92. During his short international career, he has also scored a ton. India will face England in the second T20I in Chennai on Saturday.

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