Indian opening batter Abhishek Sharma experienced a rollercoaster ride during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Despite entering the tournament in great
form, he faced a massive setback by scoring three consecutive ducks in his first few games.
However, the young southpaw eventually found his rhythm and played a highly memorable, match-winning knock of 52 runs off just 21 balls in the tournament's final against New Zealand.
In a recent interview, Abhishek revealed to Hindustan Times that he credits his remarkable tournament comeback entirely to his mentor, former Indian cricket legend Yuvraj Singh. The young opener explained that the pressure was mounting, but a phone call with the two-time World Cup winner changed his perspective.
"I spoke to Yuvi paaji regularly. He's always been someone I can go to for honest advice. His message was simple: 'Don't change who you are as a player. ' He told me that aggressive players will have phases like this, but if you keep backing your strengths, runs will come," Abhishek said.
"It was mostly about trusting my natural game. I didn't want to go away from the style that got me to this level. The only thing I tried to do was be a bit clearer in my shot selection early on. Once I got through that initial phase, I just played the way I normally do," he added.
This honest and direct guidance from his mentor helped Abhishek clear his mind, improve his shot selection early in the innings, and ultimately deliver a blistering performance when India needed him the most to lift the trophy. Abhishek was excellent in the final as he scored a blistering 52 off 21 deliveries in the final against New Zealand.
He will now feature in the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he will play for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as the tournament starts from March 28.
