Ever since Abhishek Sharma marked his T20I debut against Zimbabwe on July 06, 2024, he has been on cloud nine by shattering several outstanding records.
Following an outstanding campaign in the Asia Cup 2025 final, the 25-year-old’s batting style is reminiscent of the younger version of the former legendary batter Virender Sehwag.
As the comparison continues to be drawn between young and experienced Indian batters, let’s find out if Abhishek is the 2.0 version of Sehwag or his exact avatar.
A Highly Aggressive Approach in Powerplay
Abhishek Sharma adhered to his aggressive batting style in the recently concluded Asia Cup 2025 final. He was not only the highest run scorer in the tournament (314 runs in 7 innings), but also the first batter to breach the 300-run mark in the T20I Asia Cup history.
Thanks to the former cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s mentorship, who changed the young cricketer’s batting style from a constructive to a destructive mode.
Although smashing the ball out of the park seemed to be a cakewalk for Abhishek, one thing he found difficult was defending the ball, which is a similar approach to Sehwag as well.
Abhishek’s Approach in Powerplay Before T20I Debut
Before his international debut, Abhishek Sharma used to score at a run-rate of 7.8 per over, which includes compiling runs at a boundary percentage of 19%. On average, his ability to smash sixes used to range around 0.9.
Run Scoring Intent in Powerplay After T20I Debut
Abhishek Sharma’s batting witnessed a remarkable transformation, particularly in the power play following his T20I debut.
The left-handed batter’s scoring rate in the first six overs increased from 7.8 to 10.6. It would be even more surprising that his intent to score runs through boundaries surged from 19 % to 28%. Notably, his six-hitting rate enhanced from 0.9 to 2.2 in the 20-over format.
Abhishek vs Sehwag? The Best In T20 Cricket
There is no doubt that Abhishek Sharma and Virender Sehwag are the power hitters right from the Ball 01.
Although Abhishek played four matches more than Sehwag, his numbers are more than double those of his idol.
Here is a brief comparison of the two natural dynamic hitters’ stats, both against pace and spin bowling in T20I cricket:
| Stats | Abhishek Sharma | Virender Sehwag |
| Matches Played | 24 Matches | 19 Matches |
| Runs Scored | 849 Runs | 394 Runs |
| Balls Faced | 433 Balls | 271 Balls |
| Strike Rate | 196.08 | 145.39 |
| Batting Average | 36.91 | 21.89 |
| 100s | 2 Centuries | 0 |
| 50s | 5 Half-Centuries | 2 Half-Centuries |
| Boundary Scoring % | 32.30% | 18.60% |
| 4s | 78 Fours | 43 Fours |
| 6s | 60 Sixes | 16 Sixes |
| Highest Score | 135 | 68 |
Virender Sehwag About Abhishek Sharma’s Fearless Approach
Virender Sehwag, in his recent discussion on Sony Sports network, lauded Abhishek’s ability to hit fours and sixes, particularly against fast bowlers with the new ball:
“See! It’s very tough to smash fast bowlers for fours and sixes. Especially with the new ball, it is a highly daunting task.
However, Abhishek Sharma has performed such a complex task with ease. When he is on the field, it is the bowlers who fear where to bowl to him. It’s a delight to watch him batting in an aggressive mode, Sehwag said.
Is Abhishek’s Batting Style Different from Sehwag’s?
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, too, compared Abhishek Sharma’s batting abilities to Virender Sehwag.
He believes that the 25-year-old strikes the ball, combining both his style and strength. Even though his approach is aggressive and forceful, Ashwin believes it is less refined compared to Sehwag.
Also, the legendary spinner pointed out one certain aspect that Abhishek falls short of Sehwag. Most often, the left-handed batter failed to convert his 70s, 80s, and 90s into centuries, which was one such drawback observed recently in the Asia Cup 2025 as well. However, this wasn’t the flaw with Sehwag.
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Abhishek Sharma: 2.0 Version or Exact Copy of Sehwag?
Comparing the T20 stats, it’s clearly understood that Abhishek Sharma is the 2.0 version of Virender Sehwag (in terms of runs scored, average, strike rate, and boundary scoring percentage).
It’s noteworthy to mention Abhishek’s selfless attitude in powerplay highlights his ability not only in striking big shots, but also in exploiting bowlers’ psychology to bowl within his range.
So far, Abhishek has maintained his tempo not only in the Indian Premier League (IPL) or any 20-over series, but also in the Asia Cup 2025. He has shown his eagerness and adaptability across different formats, which is not just limited to the requirements of the T20I cricket. Overall, Abhishek Sharma has refined India’s batting approach in powerplay overs and continues to trigger pressure on the opponent team bowlers and fielders.
