Abhishek Sharma Urged to Step Up by AB de Villiers Ahead of IPL 2026
AB de Villiers Encourages Abhishek Sharma to Embrace Responsibility
New Delhi, March 19: Abhishek Sharma, the dynamic batter for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), has made a significant impact in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the past two seasons. As he looks forward to the 2026 season, former South African cricketer AB de Villiers emphasizes the need for Sharma to take on greater responsibility.
During a discussion on JioStar, de Villiers remarked, “At 25, he’s no longer a teenager. This is the time for him to step up and shoulder more responsibility. With increased media scrutiny, there will be expectations for him to maintain consistency. His performance during the T20 World Cup was somewhat disappointing; although he finished strong in the final, his overall tournament was underwhelming and inconsistent.”
Sharma has consistently scored over 400 runs in the last two IPL seasons, boasting an impressive strike rate of around 200.
De Villiers praised Sharma’s performance in IPL 2025, noting, “He had an exceptional season, achieving a strike rate close to 200 and averaging in the 30s, which is commendable for an opening batsman. However, there’s room for improvement. Consistency is key, and it’s a personal challenge he must tackle mentally. Being the top T20I batter globally brings its own set of expectations, which can be overwhelming.”
On refining his approach, de Villiers advised Sharma to be mindful of match situations and respect various match-ups. He stated, “Success and longevity in his career depend on his ability to understand and respect different match-ups. For instance, when facing a bowler like Bumrah in a critical moment, he must decide whether to attack or play it safe. It’s crucial for him to recognize threats and not rush into decisions.”
“He needs to be strategic and trust his game plan. While he has a successful blueprint, fine-tuning it and having confidence in it will be essential,” de Villiers added.
SRH's squad for the IPL 2026 season includes: Salil Arora, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Ravichandran Smaran, Aniket Verma, Abhishek Sharma, Brydon Carse, Harsh Dubey, Jack Edwards, Liam Livingstone, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Mavi, Pat Cummins, Amit Kumar, Krains Fuletra, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga, Harshal Patel, Sakib Hussain, Shivang Kumar, Onkar Tarmale, Jaydev Unadkat, and Zeeshan Ansari.