This is the journey of a 13-year-old boy from Amritsar who earned his first ₹2000 from cricket—and instead of buying shoes or a bat, he offered it as prasad through his grandmother. His grandmother always said, “This boy will earn a big name one day.”

That boy is Abhishek Sharma, now the world’s No.1 T20 international batsman. Some things truly never change—he still keeps all his bats in a small temple at home.

Let’s dive into how this young talent completely changed the way T20 cricket is played.

Table of Contents

Early Life: The Start of a Dream

A Boy Obsessed with Cricket

Abhishek was born on 4 September 2000 in Amritsar, to Rajkumar Sharma, a cricket coach who ran an academy. From a very young age, Abhishek insisted on going with his father to the academy. Eventually, his father gave in and took him along.

Abhishek practiced with boys older than him, copying their drills, running with them, and spending hours on the ground. It became his second home.

Some academy kids even complained to his father:
“Sir, he never gets out. He bats the whole day!”

Born to Attack

One day, Abhishek asked his father why everyone played defensive cricket.
His father responded:
“The ball is made to be hit. I don’t know why people defend a ball meant to be smashed.”

This one sentence became part of Abhishek’s cricketing DNA. The instinct to hit every ball was planted in childhood.

Early Success: The First Big Break

Dominating the Vijay Merchant Trophy

Abhishek’s first major turning point came during the U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy, where he scored 1200 runs and picked 60 wickets in a single season. People immediately recognised that he was “India material”.

Even Kapil Dev’s coach, Desh Prem Azad, predicted Abhishek would play for India.

U-19 Rise

In 2017, Abhishek debuted for the India U-19 team. He also made his First-Class and List A debuts around the same time, scoring heavily.

In 2018, India won the U-19 World Cup, and Abhishek was an important member of the squad—although Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill received more limelight.

IPL Journey: From Struggle to Stardom

Early IPL Years

The Delhi franchise spotted him and signed him for ₹55 lakh. In his debut match against RCB, he smashed 46 off 19.
But the rest of the season didn’t go well.

Later, SRH picked him for the same amount.
However, the next three seasons again didn’t produce major performances.

2022 Mega Auction: The Turning Point

SRH bought him again—this time for ₹6.5 crore.
With big money came big expectations—and Abhishek delivered.

The Breakout Season: IPL 2024

Abhishek destroyed bowling attacks so brutally that even Rashid Khan told his father:

“Your son has reduced my fear factor across the world. He has hit me a lot!”

This season established Abhishek as one of the most dangerous T20 batters alive.

Mentors Who Shaped Him

Throughout his journey, Abhishek was guided by legends:

VVS Laxman
Ricky Ponting
Rahul Dravid
Brian Lara
Yuvraj Singh

During the lockdown, Yuvraj trained Abhishek personally:

fixing his shoulder position
refining the golf-swing arc
improving balance and power

Even his father agrees:
“After training with Yuvraj, my son’s batting improved even more.”

Brian Lara introduced him to golf, which enhanced his six-hitting ability.
Practicing with Shikhar Dhawan improved his ground shots.

Opening with Travis Head in IPL 2024 gave him a new identity altogether.

India Debut: A Dream Realised

Abhishek’s parents learned from the TV that their son had been selected for India.
On 6 July 2024, he made his India debut—and scored a century in just his second match.

Years earlier, Punjab coach Arun Bedi had predicted that Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill would open for India someday.
This came true when they opened together in the Asia Cup.

Despite their superstar status, the two remain best friends—always training, eating, and hanging out together.

Records and Milestones

For Abhishek, breaking records feels routine:

Highest individual scores for India in T20s
Fastest Indian to 1000 T20I runs (fewest balls faced)
Achieved World No.1 T20I ranking in July 2025
Reached an unbelievable 931 ICC rating points—a number no T20 batter had ever touched

India has never seen such a fearless, first-ball attacker who puts bowlers under pressure from the very start.

A Player Who Changed the T20 Mindset

Some players win matches.
Some win series.
But a few players change the entire way the game is played.

Abhishek Sharma is one of them.

He plays with raw aggression, stepping out on every ball, taking high risks, and pushing boundaries. This style will win India big matches, but occasionally lead to early dismissals.

With smart calculation, his ceiling is limitless.

Conclusion

This is the story of Abhishek Sharma—a fearless, explosive cricketer whose journey inspires millions.
If you want more such stories, let us know which player you want next.