Abhishek Sharma, the Player of the Tournament in the Asia Cup 2025, revealed how India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav boosted his confidence during a rough patch. Sharma had struggled with low scores in his early T20I outings for India after debuting against Zimbabwe following the T20 World Cup.
During this time, Yadav assured Sharma that even if he scored 15 ducks in a row, he would still play in the next game. “He told me, ‘You’re such an important player for me that even if you don’t get out for 15 ducks, you will still play the next game. I can give it to you in writing,’” Sharma recalled on Breakfast With Champions.
Learning to Trust His Instincts
Sharma admitted that for years he had restrained his natural instincts, focusing on preserving his wicket rather than playing aggressively. Yadav’s faith encouraged him to trust himself and adopt a more attacking mindset.
“That was striking the ball for me. I felt I was stopping myself because of the pressure of playing a long game. I completely removed that from my head,” Sharma said. His newfound confidence translated into consistent performances throughout the Asia Cup.
Record-Breaking Asia Cup Performance
Sharma amassed 314 runs in the Asia Cup 2025, scoring more than 30 in six matches. His tally of 931 ICC T20I rating points set a new benchmark, surpassing England’s Dawid Malan, who had 919 in 2020. The only match Sharma fell short was the final against Pakistan, yet his performance throughout the tournament cemented him as one of India’s premier T20I batters.
Sharma credited his captain’s support and belief in his abilities as the key factor in unlocking his attacking style and consistent run-scoring at the international level.
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