Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar shared a light-hearted exchange with young opener Abhishek Sharma after India’s dominant win in the first T20I against New Zealand in Nagpur. The 25-year-old produced a blistering 35-ball 84 as India cruised to a 48-run victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Abhishek needed just 22 deliveries to register his sixth T20I half-century.

Impressed by the fearless approach of the left-hander, Gavaskar highlighted how drastically modern-day batting has evolved. “He takes the same number of balls to score a half-century as I used to take to get off the mark. That tells you how different the game is today,” Gavaskar remarked on Star Sports after the match.

Abhishek, however, was quick to clarify that his explosive style is driven by intent rather than recklessness. He stressed that his approach is backed by preparation and clarity of role.

“We had a plan from day one and we are just sticking to it. If you want to strike at 200, intent is crucial. Every team has plans for me, so preparation becomes important. I back my instincts,” Abhishek said.

“I don’t see my role as high-risk. I’m more of a timing batter. I never do range-hitting — I like to watch the ball, understand the conditions and plan my shots. My net sessions are structured, and watching my own batting videos helps me read where bowlers target me,” he added.

Abhishek maintained his fluency despite India losing early wickets, with Sanju Samson departing for 10 and Ishan Kishan, playing his first T20I since 2023, managing just eight.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav partnered Abhishek in a crucial 99-run stand for the third wicket, contributing 32 off 22 balls. While Suryakumar began cautiously, the innings showed glimpses of a return to form as he looks to break a prolonged lean patch ahead of the World Cup.

The 35-year-old, once the ICC’s top-ranked T20I batter, has not scored a fifty in his last 23 innings in the format since October 2024.

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