Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) player Abhishek Sharma has credited former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh for playing an important role in shaping his mindset and approach to the game, stating how training under him helped him prepare for high-pressure situations at the highest level as well. Notably, Abhishek Sharma has been in great form in the ongoing IPL, scoring 380 runs in 8 matches, with three fifties and a century to his name so far as well.

Speaking about Yuvraj Singh’s influence, Abhishek Sharma said to JioStar., “Training with Yuvi paaji was a huge moment for me. I had looked up to him since I was a child. He was my idol. He gave me some guidance early on, but we didn’t have much time together. Then came the lockdown. I think Yuvi paaji saw it as an opportunity to work closely with a few players.”

“I was lucky to be one of them. When our camp began, he said something that truly changed my belief. He told me that the training and mindset we were building was not just for domestic cricket or IPL, and not just for playing a few games for India. He said that he was preparing me mentally to win big matches for India, to play impactful innings, and to deliver with the ball when it matters most,” Abhishek Sharma shared again.

Abhishek also opened up on his early cricketing journey, giving credit to his upbringing for sparking his interest in the sport as well.

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“There was a strong cricketing environment at home from the start. My father played Ranji Trophy for Punjab and was also a Coach. Watching him inspired me to take up the game. When I watched India-Pakistan matches or World Cup games on TV, I felt motivated. I used to think that I wanted to play at that level too,” he said.

“I was quite young when I first started enjoying both, batting and bowling. Then came an Under-12 tournament. I performed well there, scoring plenty of runs and picking up wickets. That’s when I realised I had the talent to take up cricket seriously. The IPL brings together the best cricketers from around the world. It is the number one T20 league. Getting an opportunity to play here feels like a blessing. I treat every IPL season as a learning experience. Playing alongside and against these top players teaches you so much,” he again expressed.

Abhishek Sharma also opened up on the impact of teammate Travis Head on his batting approach, especially in adopting a more aggressive mindset as well.

“I have been following Travis Head’s game for a year and a half before he joined SRH. I was happy when he became my teammate. The first thing I asked him was about his batting mindset. I admire how he performs in all three formats and dominates the bowling. He told me his plan is simple: watch the ball closely, and if you feel you can hit the first delivery, go for it. I followed his advice in my practice before the IPL. Now, if the ball is in my slot, I look to hit it from the first ball,” Abhishek Sharma concluded.