Abhishek Sharma had ‘six-hitting skills from the start’, teammate reveals untold story

Mumbai: Long before Abhishek Sharma rocketed to global attention with a 21-ball 52 in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final, the left-hander’s gift for clearing the rope was already folklore in Punjab’s age-group dressing rooms. In an exclusive conversation with TOI, childhood friend and Punjab Kings teammate Nehal Wadhera traced the origins of the innings that clinched India’s title, insisting the warning signs were there for anyone who cared to watch an Under-14 match in the north-western state.

“Abhishek and I have been playing together since Under-14. So, yes, Abhishek definitely had those hitting skills from the start,” Wadhera said, recalling a 410-run chase on a turning track in an Under-16 state tournament. Captaining the side, Abhishek partnered Shubman Gill to gun down the target; one finished on 150, the other 180. “We always knew what he was capable of,” Wadhera added.

The world caught up in Bridgetown. Entering the 2025 edition as the No. 1-ranked T20 batter, Abhishek stumbled through three ducks and a rash of single-digit scores, his place under scrutiny. A measured 55 against Zimbabwe in the Super 8s steadied the ship, but the crescendo arrived in the final. Walking out with Sanju Samson, Abhishek blazed six fours and four sixes in a 98-run opening stand that set up India’s triumph over New Zealand.

Wadhera, watching from afar, saw nothing new. “The game that we are watching now, we already knew about it. But he has definitely worked on it. How he has maximised the opportunities in the powerplay is really commendable. All thanks to Yuvraj Singh and his father, who coach and mentor him.”

While Abhishek re-wrote headlines, Wadhera has quietly scripted his own IPL arc. Debuting under Rohit Sharma at Mumbai Indians in 2023, he switched to Punjab Kings for INR 4.20 crore in the 2025 mega auction and responded with 369 runs at a strike rate above 145, propelling the franchise to its maiden final. A six-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru still stings, but the 25-year-old believes the squad’s settled core and Shreyas Iyer’s liberating captaincy have positioned Punjab as 2026 contenders.

“For a head coach, maintaining a positive environment is the most important thing,” Wadhera said of Ricky Ponting, recalling a Dharamshala camp where boundaries were greeted with the Australian’s trademark grin. “He’s doing a really good job.”

Personal milestones can wait, Wadhera insists; the only box left unticked is the trophy. If Abhishek’s journey from backyard sixes to World Cup glory is any indication, childhood dreams have a habit of ageing into reality.

SEO keywords: