Ahead of the five-match Twenty20 International series that begins in Canberra on Wednesday, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has warned Australia to be cautious of in-form opener Abhishek Sharma.
The 25-year-old Abhishek has been incredibly talented, winning Player of the Tournament in India’s Asia Cup victory. The left-hander scored 314 runs in seven innings at an average of over 45 and a strike rate of 200 on slow, spin-friendly tracks in the United Arab Emirates.
”He’s a gun T20 player. If he’s in for a while, there’s guaranteed entertainment. Irrespective of whether you’re Australian or Indian, you’ll enjoy it,” Shastri told Fox Cricket.
”He has the ability to take the game away from you. You don’t want him out there too long because he can create chaos.
”His preparation, his belief in his own ability, the range of shots that he has, and then the mindset to go out there and back himself from ball one. From the get-go, he’ll go after the bowling. That’s where he can be extremely dangerous, very explosive, and quietly confident about his own ability,” Shastri added.
Abhishek owns the record for the second-fastest T20I century by an Indian, a 37-ball blitz against England earlier this year. He has two T20I hundreds in just 24 games, making him one of only six Indians to do so.
Since making his debut in July last year, the aggressive opener has amassed 849 runs at an average of 37 and a strike rate near 200, making him the top T20I batter in the world.
Abhishek will make his maiden international appearance in Australia during the series, concluding an incredible year in which he has averaged almost 50 at a strike rate of over 200 in Twenty20 Internationals.
