Former Indian cricket legend Yuvraj Singh has played a pivotal role in the development of young all-rounder Abhishek Sharma, who is now set to make his mark on the international stage.
Sharma, who hails from Punjab, has been mentored by a galaxy of cricketing greats, including Yuvraj, Brian Lara, and Rahul Dravid. His father, Raj Kumar Sharma, is also a respected cricket coach.
Yuvraj, who is Sharma’s boyhood hero, spotted his potential during the COVID-19 pandemic and provided him with valuable guidance. The former left-handed batsman heaped praise on Sharma after he scored a century in Zimbabwe in July 2022.
Sharma’s impressive performances in domestic tournaments and the Indian Premier League (IPL) earned him a call-up to the Indian team for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa.
Ahead of the series, Sharma expressed his excitement about playing at Kingsmead, Durban, where Yuvraj had famously smashed six sixes off England’s Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
“I have come here for the first time, but when I saw it (the ground) on TV and now that I am here, it’s like a dream come true,” Sharma said in a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“I was inspired by Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes in 2007. The first day when I came here I was trying to figure out from what end to which end he had hit the sixes. He had sixes all over the ground, it’s a great memory.”
Sharma recalled watching the historic moment with his family and celebrating India’s victory with his entire neighborhood. He expressed his gratitude to Yuvraj for inspiring him and vowed to make him proud.
The South Africa tour was not originally part of India’s schedule but was arranged following discussions between the BCCI and Cricket South Africa (CSA). The T20I series will be played across four venues: Durban, Gqeberha, Centurion, and Johannesburg, with matches scheduled for November 8, 10, 13, and 15.
