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Sunrisers Hyderabad star Abhishek Sharma's explosive batting in the IPL 2024 has caught the eye of former England captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan believes the 23-year-old southpaw has the potential to excel in all three formats for Team India, similar to another young talent, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
While Abhishek Sharma debuted in the IPL back in 2018, it's the ongoing season where he's truly come into his own. Amassing 467 runs in 13 matches at a healthy average and a blistering strike rate, Sharma has impressed both fans and experts alike. His knock of a 28-ball 66 on Sunday, May 19th, was instrumental in Sunrisers Hyderabad's chase of a stiff 215-run target against Punjab Kings. This dominant performance helped his team finish the league stage as runners-up.
Vaughan compares Abhishek Sharma with Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh
Vaughan's praise for Abhishek Sharma goes beyond just his recent form. The former England captain feels Sharma has the technical skills to make a smooth transition from IPL success to international cricket, similar to how Yashasvi Jaiswal achieved it. He highlighted Abhishek's sound batting technique, even comparing his elegant swing to legends like Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh. This suggests Vaughan sees a long-term future for Sharma in the Indian national team across formats.
"If you go back to the story of Yashasvi Jaiswal, he jumped the rails quickly through the IPL and the Indian side. Been a revelation in Test match cricket. Probably early to say this, but Abhishek could do exactly the same. He could easily do the same across all three formats. His technical side is excellent. He has got Brian Lara-esque and Yuvraj Singh-type swing of the willow," Vaughan said while speaking to Cricbuzz.
"Yashasvi has been a wonderful story, you don't see many like that. Just arrive on the international stage and look like they have been playing for 15 years. But I think Abhishek isn't far off," Vaughan added.
Vaughan wasn't just impressed by Sharma's overall batting; the six-hitting prowess truly stood out. During his match-winning knock against Punjab Kings, Abhishek smashed a staggering six sixes, surpassing Virat Kohli's record for most sixes in a single IPL season. This record-breaking feat, with Abhishek now boasting 41 maximums in IPL 2024, further solidified Vaughan's belief in the young star's potential.
"When you think about how much talent has and how many great Indian batters are there in the IPL and he is top of the tree. Fantastic," Vaughan concluded.
After a quiet debut in the IPL back in 2018, Abhishek Sharma has finally unleashed his full potential in the 2024 season. The left-handed batsman has been a force to be reckoned with, currently leading the league in sixes hit (41) and forming a formidable opening partnership with Travis Head for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. This explosive duo has consistently provided their team with strong starts, propelling them towards success.
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