'He changed my belief' - Abhishek Sharma highlights 'idol' Yuvraj Singh's impact on his career

India and Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma has highlighted the impact of training with his idol, Yuvraj Singh, stating that his guidance helped him develop a robust mindset and changed his belief system, which eventually led him to make way into the national team.

Abhishek recalled that his time with Yuvraj during the lockdown in 2020 proved particularly fruitful, as the former all-rounder dedicated personal attention to his game and honed his craft.

“Training with Yuvi paaji [Yuvraj Singh] was a huge moment for me. I had looked up to him since I was a child. He was my idol. He gave me some guidance early on, but we didn’t have much time together,” Abhishek told JioStar.

“Then came the lockdown. I think Yuvi paaji saw it as an opportunity to work closely with a few players. I was lucky to be one of them. When our camp began, he said something that truly changed my belief. He told me that the training and mindset we were building was not just for domestic cricket or IPL, and not just for playing a few games for India. He said that he was preparing me mentally to win big matches for India, to play impactful innings, and to deliver with the ball when it matters most,” he added.

Abhishek revealed what inspired him to play cricket, crediting his father, Rajkumar Sharma, who played in the Ranji Trophy for Punjab and later coached stalwarts like Virat Kohli.

“There was a strong cricketing environment at home from the start. My father played Ranji Trophy for Punjab and was also a Coach. Watching him inspired me to take up the game. When I watched India-Pakistan matches or World Cup games on TV, I felt motivated. I used to think that I wanted to play at that level too.”

Abhishek was also asked to share his perspective and insights on playing in the Indian Premier League and how it has helped him shape his cricketing career. He reckoned that the opportunity to rub shoulders with the best in the business is a learning experience, terming to play in the league as a “blessing”.

“The IPL brings together the best cricketers from around the world. It is the number one T20 league. Getting an opportunity to play here feels like a blessing. I treat every IPL season as a learning experience. Playing alongside and against these top players teaches you so much.”