Former India cricketer Yograj Singh took aim at Abhishek Sharma after a stop-start T20 World Cup campaign that never quite lived up to expectations. Tipped by many as a potential match-winner and even a top run-scorer, the left-hander began on a disastrous note with three successive ducks, setting the tone for a difficult tournament.
He eventually finished with 141 runs from eight matches at an average of 17.62. There were glimpses of his ability, including a crucial half-century in the final, but consistency eluded him. Abhishek struggled to stitch together meaningful contributions, often getting stuck against spin. His discomfort, particularly against off-spin, was evident throughout the competition.
Yograj didn’t hold back while assessing Abhishek’s struggles, questioning his focus and work ethic, and pointing to distractions off the field as a key reason behind the youngster’s dip in form.
“You fail because your mind is somewhere else. What is happening to Shubman Gill, Abhishek? The failure comes only when your mind is diverted somewhere else. That is what is happening with Abhishek. The guy walks around doing reels, that isn’t his job. He should bloody well go to bed at 9 PM, wake up at 5 PM, and play a thousand balls,” Yograj said on InsideSport.
Abhishek had earlier spent time under the guidance of Yuvraj Singh, who played a key role in shaping his game before he broke into the Indian side.
However, Yograj didn’t hold back, invoking Yuvraj’s standards while tearing into Abhishek’s discipline and mindset, insisting the youngster remains far from reaching the levels set by his mentor.
“It would take him another age to go closer to Yuvraj Singh. The whole universe works on discipline. That’s how cricketers should work. Where are cricketers going wrong? Parties, girls, money, shooting all the time,” he added.
“Don’t take this game for granted”
The former cricketer further expressed frustration with Abhishek’s approach, revealing he has personally warned the youngster about taking the game lightly while stressing the importance of building an innings rather than relying solely on big hits.
“I’m very disgusted with him (Sharma). There are times when I drop him messages – don’t take this game for granted. He will always say ‘yes, sir’. There is something called a single, a double, and a boundary. Every time you cannot hit the ball in the air. You cannot keep hitting sixes and entertaining the crowd. You will fail,” said Yograj.
