When Sunrisers Hyderabad took just 9.4 overs to overhaul a 166-run target and thrash Lucknow Super Giants by 10 wickets last year, a lot had been spoken and written about Abhishek Sharma too.

If Travis Head remained unbeaten on a 30-ball 89 in that game, Abhishek wasn’t far behind, hitting an unbeaten 75 off just 28 balls with eight boundaries and half-a-dozen maximums. That May 8 home game was one indication of the left-handed player’s abilities as an attacking batter.

In his second India appearance in July during the T20I series in Zimbabwe, the 24-year-old from Punjab blasted his maiden international ton with a 47-ball 100. That innings, though, wasn’t taken too seriously as it came against a side that plays very few matches against top-tier teams.

Abhishek’s next assignment — the T20I series against Bangladesh — didn’t go well. But he ensured to bounce back with a 25-ball 50 and a 36 off 18 balls at Centurion and Johannesburg on the T20I tour of South Africa thereafter.

Taking full advantage of the Powerplay was his task and he accomplished it with distinction, expressing himself almost to the core. Agreed, the South African bowling attack had no Kagiso Rabada, but the other familiar names were certainly there. And Abhishek seemed to be in his elements against them.

But it was the England T20Is earlier this year that proved how merciless Abhishek could be when it came to strokeplay. The 34-ball 79 at Eden Gardens in the
opening match was just a teaser to what lay ahead for the English quicks, whose 150kmph-plus speed was barely a hurdle for Abhishek.

In the next three games, he couldn’t convert his starts. But in the final T20I, he kept smashing thunderbolts from Jofra Archer, in particular, for an incredible 135 off just 54 balls. No matter how fast Archer bowled, Abhishek created room and managed to hammer him over cover and other regions for boundaries and maximums.

Importantly, not just in that game at the Wankhede, but most of the sixes Abhishek unleashes are usually proper cricketing shots and are not at all cheeky or fancy. What bodes well for the youngster is his reliance on the basics instead of being flashy and extravagant.

Instead of scoops, ramp and lap shots, traditional hoicks, off and on drives, swivels, and smoking the ball over cover/extra-cover regions are his preferred style of operation. If Abhishek continues in this manner, he may not be restricted to just T20Is.

A clean hitter that he is, when the ball is in his arc, by no means will he be taking half-measures. And when he starts connecting one after another, he’s simply unstoppable. For spinners too, the margin of error is minimal as he rarely spares anything even slightly ill-directed or loose.

For sure, the training sessions he has had under the guidance of Yuvraj Singh, one of India’s greatest match-winners in limited-overs cricket, have been of massive help
to Abhishek. And of course, batting alongside Head. The Australia opener’s aggression and intent have too rubbed off on him.

In the IPL this time, Abhishek will be just as dangerous as Head. Given his performances for India, he’s indeed as potent a force for the Sunrisers Hyderabad to go one step ahead this year and lift the IPL trophy for a second time.

As a bowler too, Abhishek can chip in with his left-arm spin if required for an over or two.

Make no mistake, he will be a much more determined player this season. Cementing his place in at least India’s T20I squad will certainly be occupying a fair amount of space on Abhishek’s mind, particularly with the T20 World Cup scheduled next year in India and Sri Lanka.