From ducks to dominance: Abhishek Sharma reveals Suryakumar Yadav’s unwavering backing

India’s rising T20 opener Abhishek Sharma has revealed how captain Suryakumar Yadav’s words of assurance transformed his mindset and gave him the freedom to express himself on the field.

Speaking on the Breakfast with Champions show, Abhishek recalled that during his lean run after making his debut against Zimbabwe, Suryakumar promised to stand by him even if he endured a long string of failures.

“When I got out early against Bangladesh and other teams for 3-4 innings, Surya told me that I am so important as a player that even if I score zero in the next 15 innings, he would still make me play the 16th. He was ready to give me that in writing,” Abhishek said.

The 23-year-old left-hander struggled initially, managing just 35 runs in three games against Bangladesh, averaging slightly above 11. The failures, however, proved to be a turning point.

Abhishek explained that his skipper’s backing freed him from the fear of losing his wicket. “I realised that if I wanted to reach the next level, I needed to trust myself and strike the ball better. For years, I had played with the pressure of just staying at the crease. But Surya’s support helped me shed that mindset. Even if I get out early, I must back myself throughout the season,” he said.

That change in approach paid off during India’s triumphant Asia Cup campaign, where Abhishek played a pivotal role. He scored 314 runs in seven matches at an average of 44.86, emerging as the tournament’s highest run-getter. His fearless stroke play at the top of the order was instrumental in India’s unbeaten run to the title.

The youngster credited his resurgence to the faith shown by his captain. “Hearing that from Surya was really big for me. It gave me clarity that I had the team’s full backing,” Abhishek said.

With his confidence restored and form peaking, Abhishek now looks set to remain a key pillar of India’s T20 batting unit.