Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth heaped praise on Abhishek Sharma following India’s dominant win over New Zealand in the opening T20I of the five-match series. India registered a 48-run victory to take a 1–0 lead.
Batting first, India piled up an imposing 238/7, driven largely by Abhishek’s explosive start at the top. The left-hander smashed 84 off just 35 deliveries, striking five fours and eight sixes, and set the tempo for the innings with a strike rate of 240.
Reflecting on the knock, Srikkanth
underlined the impact Abhishek brings to India’s T20 setup and drew a sharp comparison with the rest of the batting unit.
"Abhishek Sharma makes a huge difference. In T20 matches, opening is very important. He does not play across; he won't hit sixes from standing still, but he has a good reach and uses his height well. He is playing very intelligent cricket. He is not going for sixes every ball. There is a huge difference between him and the rest of the Indian cricketers," he said on his Youtube channel Cheeky Cheeka.
Srikkanth went on to highlight how Abhishek’s contributions at the top often translate into big totals for India. He pointed out that India has consistently crossed the 200-run mark whenever the southpaw has registered a half-century.
"When Abhishek scores more than 50, the team is bound to win. You don't need anything else. Every time he scores a 50, India gets to 200. You can bat the opposition out in T20 cricket, and India has a gun-battling line-up. Everyone at the top can score, Hardik can score, Rinku can score," he added.
India’s batting strength was once again on display in the first T20I. Hardik Pandya chipped in with 25 off 16 balls, while Rinku Singh provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 44 off 20 deliveries. New Zealand were eventually restricted to 190/7 in the chase.
Despite singling out Abhishek for special praise, Srikkanth was quick to point out that India is not overly reliant on one individual. He noted that Ishan Kishan failed to make an impact in the match and added that the return of Tilak Varma would further bolster the middle order.
Srikkanth also mentioned that skipper Suryakumar Yadav is yet to hit peak form but remains a key component of the side’s power-packed top six.
"If Abhishek gets out early, it can be trouble. I agree. But don't forget, Ishan Kishan has not clicked yet. If he gets going, he is another Abhishek. When Tilak comes in, he will score too. The advantage is that India is not dependent on one player. Surya has not come into full form yet. There is Hardik. The top six are gun," he said.
With several senior batters yet to fire consistently, the likes of Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, and Shivam Dube will be looking to make their mark as the series progresses.
