‘Abhishek Sharma is extremely dangerous, very explosive’: India head coach warns Mitchell Marsh & Co.

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has warned Australia about the threat posed by young opening batter Abhishek Sharma ahead of the upcoming five-match T20I series. Shastri stated that the left-handed batter can turn matches single-handedly for the Men in Blue if he stays at the crease for long.

Abhishek played a crucial role with the bat in the Suryakumar Yadav-led team’s title victory during the Asia Cup 2025 last month. The 25-year-old was named Player of the Tournament after scoring 314 runs in seven innings at a blistering strike rate of 200, despite challenging batting conditions in the UAE.

Abhishek Sharma Has the Ability to Take the Game Away - Ravi Shastri

Speaking to Fox Cricket, Ravi Shastri said that there’s guaranteed entertainment for Australian fans when Abhishek Sharma takes the field in the upcoming T20I series. He stated that the youngster can dominate any bowling attack once he settles at the crease.

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"He’s a gun T20 player. If he’s in for a while, there’s guaranteed entertainment. Irrespective of whether you’re Australian or Indian, you’ll enjoy it. He has the ability to take the game away from you. You don’t want him out there too long because he can create chaos," Shastri said on Fox Cricket.

That’s Where Abhishek Sharma Can Be Extremely Dangerous - Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri said that Abhishek Sharma is one of the most dangerous batters in T20 cricket. Shastri credited his attacking mindset and fearless approach. He added that Sharma can take on bowlers from the very first delivery with confidence and a wide range of strokes.

"His preparation, his belief in his own ability, the range of shots that he has, and then the mindset to go out there and back himself from ball one. From the get-go, he’ll go after the bowling. That’s where he can be extremely dangerous, very explosive, and quietly confident about his own ability," said Shastri (via the aforementioned source).

Abhishek Sharma Set to Play His First Series in Australia

Abhishek Sharma is currently the No. 1 batter in the latest ICC T20I rankings with a rating of 926. He had achieved a record-breaking 931 points during the 2025 Asia Cup, the highest in the format’s history.

The left-handed batter has already joined an elite group of Indian batters with multiple T20I centuries. He also holds the record for scoring the second-fastest T20I hundred by an Indian, reaching the milestone in just 37 balls against England earlier this year.

Abhishek will play his maiden international series in Australia with remarkable T20I numbers to his name. The young left-hander has scored 849 runs in 24 matches at a blistering strike rate of 196.07, including two centuries and five half-centuries.

He has enjoyed 2025 so far with 593 runs at an average close to 50 and a strike rate above 200 in 12 T20Is. He could surpass the 1000-run milestone in the shortest format during the upcoming series.

Also read: Shafali Verma replaces Pratika Rawal in India’s squad for the remainder of Women's World Cup 2025