Star India batter Abhishek Sharma was at his very best yet again on Friday in the second T20I against Australia at the MCG, with the youngster smacking a 37-ball 68 to lead India’s run-scoring in an otherwise shabby display from the visitors.
In front of a roaring MCG crowd, Abhishek showed brilliant composure, anchoring the innings as wickets fell around him.
Abhishek unleashed a flurry of audacious off-side strokes,
slashes, check drives and elegant lofts, racing to a 23-ball half-century in his maiden outing at the iconic MCG, even as wickets kept tumbling at the other end.Abhishek kept taking the attack to the Aussie bowlers even as partners kept changing at the other end. However, India missed a trick by not rotating the strike, he faced
just 37 balls, while others struggled and used up crucial deliveries.
“Abhishek is seriously NEXT LEVEL,” former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen tweeted on Friday afternoon.
Abhishek is seriously NEXT LEVEL
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) October 31, 2025
“Abhishek sharma playing on a different pitch? Brilliant half century,” former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan tweeted.
Abhishek sharma playing on a different pitch? Brilliant half century
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 31, 2025
What stood out for Abhishek was his smart use of the crease and ability to ride the bounce with ease. However, in the final ten overs, he was frustrated as the lower middle order struggled to rotate the strike.
At 110/8, Abhishek took it upon himself as he hooked Xavier Bartlett for a six and prior to that a four as the total reached a paltry 125.
Before a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav lost the toss and Josh Hazlewood (3/13) made his mark. Amidst the early damage, the in-form Abhishek stood tall in defiance at one end, while Hazlewood delivered a brilliant spell featuring 15 dot deliveries.
Once Axar was run out, Harshit Rana and Abhishek steadied the innings, but Rana played and missed often to put more pressure on the latter.
