Anil Kumble Urges Abhishek Sharma to Emulate Virender Sehwag's Balanced Approach
Former India captain and coach Anil Kumble has emphasized that young batter Abhishek Sharma must strike a crucial balance between his aggressive style and spending more time at the crease. Drawing a direct comparison with legendary opener Virender Sehwag, Kumble's advice comes just ahead of the Indian Premier League season, which commences on March 28.
The Sehwag Comparison: A Blueprint for Maturity
Kumble highlighted that the 25-year-old Abhishek Sharma, known for his high-risk, fast starts at the top of the order, often fails to convert these promising beginnings into substantial scores. "I would relate him to someone like Virender Sehwag, because he would look to smash every ball," Kumble stated. "When Sehwag transitioned from Test cricket to one-day cricket and then to T20 cricket, he realized the necessity to pace his innings differently. However, he still maintained a strike-rate of 140–150. That's the kind of adjustment Abhishek needs to consider."
Speaking on JioStar, as cited by news agency PTI, Kumble elaborated that Abhishek should not feel pressured to escalate his already high strike-rate but focus on playing more deliveries. "Abhishek has been scoring at a 200 strike-rate, and expectations are high, but he doesn't need to aim for 300. He simply has to be normal and face a greater number of balls," the former coach advised.
The Impact of Crease Occupation
Kumble pointed out that Abhishek Sharma possesses the inherent ability to score rapidly, yet his true potential will only be unlocked by extending his time at the wicket. "If Abhishek bats 20 balls in an innings, he is likely to approach the 50-run mark. We observed a similar progression with Sanju Samson, who learned to convert starts into bigger scores, reaching 85-90 runs instead of getting out in the 40s or 50s," he explained.
"This maturity is essential in the T20 format, and Sunrisers Hyderabad will be hoping to see such development from Abhishek this season," Kumble added. Abhishek, who had a relatively quiet T20 World Cup campaign, is set to represent Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming IPL, where his performance will be closely watched.
AB de Villiers Stresses Consistency and Mental Fortitude
Echoing Kumble's sentiments, former South Africa captain AB de Villiers also commented on the need for greater consistency from the left-handed batter, especially given the escalating expectations surrounding him. "At 25, Abhishek is no longer a youngster; this is the phase where he must assume more responsibility," de Villiers noted. "Media pressure and public demand for consistency are inevitable. His T20 World Cup was inconsistent, which was disappointing, despite a strong finish in the final."
De Villiers acknowledged Abhishek's impressive IPL 2025, where he scored nearly 400 runs at a strike-rate of around 200 and an average in the 30s, but emphasized room for improvement. "Consistency is the key word here. It's a personal, mental challenge he must overcome," he asserted.
The former cricketer further highlighted that managing expectations will be critical for Abhishek's future success. "Being the top-ranked T20I batter in the world brings immense pressure. Expectation is the most dangerous word in cricket, as it can feel like the world is closing in. Abhishek will need to fight these mental battles throughout the upcoming season," de Villiers concluded.
As the IPL season approaches, all eyes will be on Abhishek Sharma to see if he can integrate Kumble's advice and de Villiers' insights, blending explosive stroke-play with the patience required to build match-winning innings.
