Abhishek Sharma (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: As Abhishek Sharma gears up to play his first international match at home when India face South Africa in the second T20I in Mullanpur on Thursday, those who shaped his journey insist that his rapid rise is anything but a surprise. Behind the six-hitting power and effortless elegance sits a work ethic sculpted from childhood — and a strict mentor he is still “scared” of.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Abhishek’s father and childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, recalls a teenager who already lived like a seasoned pro. “His days started at 4am,” Rajkumar told The Indian Express. “From gym and exercise to running and swimming — he did everything he could to constantly improve as a player.”
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Once the fitness grind was done, Abhishek wanted only one thing — to bat. Punjab junior coach Arun Bedi still marvels at the sight of an 11- or 12-year-old effortlessly lifting bowlers over the ropes.“Abhishek would hit sixes with lofted shots at an age when boys are still learning to middle the ball. It spoke volumes about his skill,” Bedi said.
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Cricketing legends have shaped him along the way — VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid with India, Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara in the IPL. But no influence has been stronger, or sterner, than Yuvraj Singh, who began training with Abhishek during the lockdown.Rajkumar laughs as he describes the tough love that drives the youngster even today. “Even now, when he thinks Abhishek has made a mistake, he will pick up the phone and call and scold him,” he said. “And Abhishek is scared of him too.”The 25-year-old has also embraced golf thanks to Lara and Yuvraj — not as a pastime but as a tool to refine his batting rhythm. “It has improved his bat swing, made it cleaner,” Rajkumar explained.
