Yuvraj Singh's impact on Abhishek Sharma is unmistakable. The confidence, the ease, the fluidity of his batting, combined with a hint of casualness and an abundance of elegance, were all evident during the first T20I between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Abhishek Sharma, a protégé of Yuvraj, achieved a remarkable fifty off just 20 balls and struck eight sixes in a stunning innings of 79 runs from only 34 deliveries, propelling India to a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Thanks to Abhishek's explosive performance, India successfully chased down the target of 133 runs in a mere 12.5 overs.

Following the match, Abhishek received a standing ovation from the packed crowd at Eden Gardens, along with commendation from his mentor Yuvraj, delivered in a playful manner.

Among the 13 boundaries (eight sixes and five fours) that Abhishek struck on that day, the straight hits past the bowler particularly caught Yuvraj's attention. Two of Abhishek's sixes and one four were executed in the 'V' area. Yuvraj acknowledged this and praised the all-rounder, who is notably powerful square of the wicket due to his flat-batted shots, in his characteristic style.

"Good start to the series, boys! A great tone set by our bowlers, and well played, sir! @IamAbhiSharma4, top knock! I’m impressed you hit two boundaries down the ground as well," Yuvraj expressed on X.

Good start to the series boys! Great tone set by our bowlers and well played sir! @IamAbhiSharma4 top knock!! I’m impressed you hit 2 boundaries down the ground as well! #indiavsengland

— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) January 22, 2025.

The Yuvraj connection in Abhishek's demolition job

During the match, Abhishek joined Yuvraj in the distinguished group of Indian batsmen who have achieved the fastest fifty against England in T20 internationals. The seasoned Indian all-rounder had previously set the record by scoring a half-century in a mere 12 balls during the iconic 2007 World T20 match in Durban, where he hit six sixes in a single over off Stuart Broad. In contrast, the young player reached this milestone on Wednesday in 20 balls.

A total of 86.07 percent (68 runs) of Abhishek's overall score in the first T20I against England was achieved through boundaries. The only player with a greater percentage of runs from boundaries in an innings of at least 75 runs is former India T20I captain Rohit Sharma, who recorded 91.53 percent (108 out of 118 runs) against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017.

Following the match, Abhishek expressed his gratitude to captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir for their role in boosting his confidence.

"I aimed to express myself fully. I would like to particularly acknowledge the captain and coach. They have granted us considerable freedom. Their approach towards young players is remarkable. I have not encountered a team environment quite like this. When the captain and coach encourage us to play freely, it is truly special," Abhishek remarked.

Earlier in the day, India's bowlers, Arshdeep Singh (2/17) and Varun Chakaravarthy (3/22), effectively limited England to a modest total of 132 runs in 20 overs. Aside from captain Jos Buttler, who scored 68 runs off 44 balls, the remaining England batsmen faced significant challenges against India's bowling attack.

India and England will next proceed to Chennai for the second T20I, scheduled for Saturday.

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