'Well played sir, top knock' - Yuvraj Singh praises Abhishek Sharma after smashing 20-ball fifty against England in Kolkata

India’s young opener, Abhishek Sharma, stole the spotlight in the first T20I against England at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens, smashing a match-winning knock of 79 off just 34 balls. His innings, including eight sixes and five boundaries, not only secured a seven-wicket victory for the Men in Blue but also earned him praise from none other than Yuvraj Singh, his mentor and one of India’s best all-rounders.

Chasing a target of 133, India struggled after the dismissals of Sanju Samson (26) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (0). Abhishek steadied the wobbling ship by smashing his fifty in just 20 balls, the second-fastest by an Indian against Englan. His partnership with Tilak Varma of 84 runs off just 42 balls, ensured India cruised to victory comfortably in just 12.5 overs. Yuvraj, who has been working with Abhishek since his young age, took to his social media to applaud the southpaw's performance.

"Good start to the series boys! 🇮🇳 Great tone set by our bowlers and well played Abhishek Sharma sir, top knock ‘!! I’m impressed you hit 2 boundaries down the ground aswell," he wrote on X.

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 I've been working with Yuvi paaji: Abhishek Sharma

Abhishek’s place in the Indian T20I setup had been under question due to his inconsistent performances. Despite a century against Zimbabwe, he had struggled to maintain form, managing only 256 runs in 13 T20Is before this match. However, his performance against England has put critics to rest. Abhishek himself acknowledged the impact of mentors like Yuvraj, Brian Lara, and Gautam Gambhir, crediting their guidance for his betterment as a cricketer.

"I believe I'm very lucky in this. I've been working with Yuvi paaji at first. Going forward, I had Brian Lara, who really helped me at SRH. Moving forward, Dan Vettori was pretty simple, he just wanted everyone to express themselves, and I think that gave me the freedom to play my shots. So obviously with Yuvraj Singh, Brian Lara and even Gauti bhai right now, they just want me to showcase my talent the way I play and to back myself," Abhishek said after the game.