Sunrisers Hyderabad secured a 36-run win over Rajasthan Royals on Friday to book their place in the 2024 IPL final on May 26. During the match, the spin bowling of Abhishek Sharma played a crucial role in preventing RR from chasing down a winning total of 176, while taking two crucial wickets in the process.
Sharma, who opens the batting for SRH along with Travis Head, has only been in the news for his ability with the bat but his all-round skills seemed to have shocked everyone with former cricketers even going as far as calling for an India call-up for the 23-year-old.
In the 4 overs he bowled against Rajasthan Royals yesterday, Sharma took 2 wickets and gave away 24 runs at an economy rate of just 6 an over. Coupled with his 42 sixes this season, the highest in IPL 2024, Sharma has certainly made a case for his India call-up with his all-round abilities.
Former cricketers laud Abhishek Sharma:
Former India batter and commentator Navjot Singh Siddhu in his rhetorical style lauded Abhishek Sharma’s performance in a Star Sports show while stating ‘Ye bacha taiyar hai (this kid is ready)’.
“Yeh baccha taiyaar hai. He has the temperament to play in international cricket and he feels he belongs to the area. He is ready to make India proud,” Siddhu said on Star Sports.
Meanwhile, former Australian great and current director of Sri Lankan cricket, Tom Moody also praised the young all-rounder while stating that he needs to keep bowling for the future of Indian cricket.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Tom Moody said, “He backs himself 100%…Yes, he doesn’t bowl as much as he needs to bowl in domestic cricket for whatever reasons but for the future of Indian cricket he needs to be bowling because he is a serious package to be reckoned with. [Bats] at the top of the order, someone who can bowl left-arm spin whatever the format, he’s going to be a real asset going forward.”
Abhishek Sharma speaks about his bowling prowess:
Meanwhile, the young all-rounder also spoke about his performance after the match against Rajasthan Royals on Friday. Sharma revealed that he didn’t know he would get the opportunity to bowl the full quota of 4 overs in the match against RR.
Speaking to broadcasters, Sharma said, “To be honest I didn’t know it would be this match (where I would bowl all 4 overs), but I was ready. I have been working on my bowling. I have been batting well in the last two years but it was my bowling that I had to work on and I did it with my dad,”
“It (the pitch) was quicker when we were batting and it started to turn in the second innings, Patty used the spinners well. It was the pressure I have put in all the (practice) sessions that he (Cummins) gave me bowling today,” the all-rounder added.
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Published: 25 May 2024, 10:22 AM IST