Abhishek Sharma has captured widespread attention following his remarkable century in the fifth T20I against England. The left-handed batsman showcased an exceptional display of clean hitting, amassing 135 runs at Wankhede Stadium. His explosive performance not only secured him a place in multiple record books but also marked him as the second-fastest Indian to reach a T20I century, achieving this milestone in just 37 balls. Additionally, he set the record for the highest individual score by an Indian in the shortest format of international cricket.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen expressed his astonishment at Abhishek's performance, deeming it the finest T20I innings he has ever witnessed. He noted that the 24-year-old exhibited qualities reminiscent of the legendary Yuvraj Singh.

"Abhishek is remarkable. He certainly has the essence of Yuvraj... Clearly, Yuvraj's influence is evident in Abhishek's game. His batting was extraordinary. It was the best T20 international innings I have ever seen, and I conveyed this to him afterwards," Pietersen remarked on Star Sports.

The 24-year-old has frequently acknowledged the support of Yuvraj Singh, a star of the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 World Cup-winning team, throughout his career. The iconic all-rounder has also taken to social media to commend Abhishek's performances whenever he excels for India.

During his powerful innings, Abhishek hit a record 13 sixes—the most by any Indian in a T20I match—along with seven fours, contributing significantly to India's comprehensive 4-1 victory over the visiting team.

‘It was just perfection’: Pietersen on Abhishek's knock

Pietersen expressed significant admiration for Abhishek's stroke play, noting that he executed traditional cricketing shots with minimal risk, culminating in a record-breaking performance.

"It was effortless. The stroke play was exceptional; there were no extravagant shots, no ramping, no sweeping, or reverse sweeping. It was simply perfection," the former England captain praised the Punjab southpaw's batting prowess.

Since making his debut during the Zimbabwe tour last year, Abhishek has been afforded consistent opportunities. As India navigates a transitional phase following their T20 World Cup victory last year, he has been selected as one of the openers to establish a bold batting strategy in the format. His promotion to the Indian team followed an impressive IPL 2024 season, where he amassed 484 runs at an extraordinary strike rate of 204.22.

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