Asia Cup 2025: Abhishek Sharma declared "Upgraded version of Yuvraj Singh" by India legend

Former Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin made a strong statement on young opener Abhishek Sharma ahead of the team’s Asia Cup 2025 opener. Ashwin also stated that Sharma is an upgraded version of legendary cricketer Yuvraj Singh and picked him as a batter to watch out for in the Asia Cup 2025.

Sharma, known for his aggressive opening batting, has become a mainstay in India’s T20I squad in recent years. The left-handed batter has refined his technique and added consistency, providing Team India with strong starts and establishing himself as a key contributor at the top of the order.

Abhishek Sharma Smashed the Second-Fastest T20I Century By an Indian

Abhishek Sharma earned opportunities following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He has scored 535 runs in 17 matches at an average of 33.44 and a strike rate of 193.84, including two centuries and two fifties, with a top score of 135. He has also contributed six wickets at an economy of 8.05.

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Earlier this year, Abhishek grabbed attention by scoring the second-fastest T20I century by an Indian. The southpaw reached 100 off just 37 balls against England.

Sharma trained under Yuvraj Singh during his formative years in Punjab cricket. Under Yuvraj’s guidance, he refined his technique and learned to remain composed under pressure.

Abhishek Sharma Is An Upgraded Version of Yuvraj Singh - Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin praised Abhishek Sharma for his fearless and aggressive batting style. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin expressed excitement to see how Sharma’s attacking approach performs in the ongoing conditions.

"I am keen to see if Abhishek Sharma's all-out attacking approach works on these surfaces. But what a player, he is an upgraded version of Yuvraj Singh," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Yuvraj Singh was pivotal in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup win. The left-handed batter smashed six sixes in an over against England and delivered a crucial innings in the semi-final against Australia. He was also part of India's ODI World Cup-winning squad in 2011.

Shubman Gill Has a Great Chance to Finish as the Highest Run-Scorer - Ravichandran Ashwin

During the same video, Ravichandran Ashwin said that vice-captain Shubman Gill will face pressure on his return to India’s T20I side. However, Ashwin added that Gill can become one of the tournament’s leading run-scorers.

"There will be some pressure on Shubman Gill to score runs. So at a strike rate of 140-150, he has a great chance to finish as the tournament's highest run-getter," Ashwin said.

Shubman Gill has not featured in T20Is since India’s Sri Lanka tour last July. However, he delivered impressive performances in IPL 2025 and the England Test series, scoring 578 runs in 21 T20I matches at an average of 30.42 and a strike rate of 139.27.

Gill is expected to open alongside Abhishek Sharma at the top of India’s batting order, with Sanju Samson likely to be dropped or pushed down the order. The Gill-Sharma duo aims to provide consistent, strong starts for India throughout the tournament.

Also read: India's Playing XI vs UAE announced, Sanju Samson made to..