Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Abhishek Sharma's blistering 79 in 1st IND vs ENG T20I 2025 ft. Zaheer Khan
The eagerly awaited five-match T20I series between India and England began on Wednesday, January 22, with the first game held at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. England, batting first, had a rough start, losing Philip Salt (0) and Ben Duckett (4) early, both dismissed by Arshdeep Singh.
Captain Jos Buttler came in at number three and found some rhythm, but wickets continued to fall around him. Harry Brook (17), Liam Livingstone (0), Jacob Bethell (7), and Jamie Overton (2) all struggled to make an impact.
Buttler was the lone fighter for England, scoring a valiant 68 off 44 balls, but the team was eventually bowled out for 132, with Varun Chakravarthy claiming three wickets for India.
In reply, Sanju Samson made a quick 26 off 20 balls, but it was Abhishek Sharma who dominated the game. The left-hander reached his fifty in just 20 balls and finished with a blistering 79 off 34 balls, including five boundaries and eight sixes. India secured a comfortable seven-wicket victory with 43 balls to spare.
Abhishek stole the show with his remarkable performance and received widespread praise. In this article, we’ll take a look at the top five expert reactions to Abhishek Sharma's explosive 79 in the first T20I between India and England.
#1 Aakash Chopra
Former Indian cricketer-turned-broadcaster Aakash Chopra pointed out that Abhishek Sharma's fifty came against a high-quality bowling attack. The 47-year-old also felt that his 79-run innings was even more impressive than the maiden T20I century he scored against Zimbabwe in 2024. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said:
"The opposing team had proper bowling - Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton. It's a good bowling attack. In such a scenario, you had to play well to score runs. He batted really well right from the start. He flicked Mark Wood for a six, then a six over third man and a straight four.”
"Then he batted very well against spin also. He kept hitting. He has scored a T20I century against Zimbabwe and it's very difficult to say that a knock could be better than that. You can say that about this knock because of the context as there was a lot of pressure and the contest as the opposition bowling was very good,” he added.
#2 Zaheer Khan
Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan emphasized that Abhishek Sharma’s aggressive mindset is a crucial aspect of his game, and if the youngster manages to stay at the crease for an extended period, similar performances are likely to follow.
He also noted that the batting depth in the Indian team has given the left-hander the freedom to play with such intent. In a conversation with Cricbuzz, the 46-year-old said:
“He was just superb isn't it, both in fact Sanju Samson and him. You expect this kind of knock from Abhishek Sharma and it just once again proving that his intent is just to be aggressive and the shot-making and the strike rate. And his stand if at the crease is longer you know that this is what he's going to dish out pretty much every time he walks in because he's someone who's thinking of sixes more I think than anything else.”
“You know that's the way he loves to approach his game and if he's able to stay there for so long it'll always be these kind of numbers. So the batting depth of the Indian team is allowing him to do that and that's a great positive sign for the Indian team,” Zaheer added.
#3 Piyush Chawla
Veteran spinner Piyush Chawla also lauded Abhishek Sharma, describing him as the X-factor player and urging the selectors to provide him with a longer stint in the T20I side. Speaking on JioCinema, Chawla said [via India Today]:
"Abhishek Sharma is a high-risk batter. When he scores runs in a game, that will be a match-winning innings. Abhishek is an X-factor player; if he scores 60 runs, he will score it in 20-22 balls. You have to give a longer rope to these guys. Today, he started slow but scored his fifty in just 20 balls. This shows the mindset that he has and what range of shots he possesses. He uses the long levers and plays big shots.”
#4 Parthiv Patel
Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel acknowledged that Abhishek Sharma was under pressure due to his inconsistent performances in recent matches. He praised the 24-year-old for not altering his game plan, calling it a positive sign of his strong mindset. Speaking on JioCinema, Parthiv said [via India Today]:
“There was definitely a question mark on his place, given he did not have much form. But I thought today he was methodical about his approach. I thought the England bowlers missed a trick by not using bouncers early on against Abhishek Sharma. But that's how he plays. What I really like about Sharma is, though he did not have a string of scores, he stuck to his game plan.”
“This is something that has worked for him in the IPL and when he played for India. He got a hundred against Zimbabwe. He has not changed his approach. As a batter, when you don't get runs, you might go back into your shell and try to get a 30-40 and then change your batting approach. But I thought Abhishek Sharma did not do that, so that's a good sign as far as his mindset is concerned,” he continued.
#5 Yuvraj Singh
Former Indian cricketer and mentor to Abhishek Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, praised the 24-year-old's knock, calling it top-class. He also humorously noted that he was impressed by the two boundaries Sharma hit straight down the ground. Yuvraj shared his thoughts in an X post:
"Good start to the series boys! great tone set by our bowlers and well played sir! @IamAbhiSharma4 top knock ‘!! I’m impressed you hit 2 boundaries down the ground as well.”
Team India will be back in action on January 25, when they face England in the second T20I at Chennai.