Sanjay Manjrekar swoons over Abhishek Sharma, praise turns into full-blown crush moment

Former Team India batter Sanjay Manjrekar made a light-hearted comment while praising Abhishek Sharma after his impressive showing in the third T20I match against New Zealand. Manjrekar also called Abhishek “pretty good-looking,” a remark that quickly caught attention alongside his cricketing praise.

Abhishek scored an unbeaten 68 runs from just 20 balls in the third T20I against New Zealand at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, January 25. He reached his fifty in only 14 deliveries, the second-fastest T20I fifty by an Indian. Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh reached his fifty off 12 balls.

He's Pretty Good-Looking As Well - Sanjay Manjrekar on Abhishek Sharma

Speaking on his Instagram handle, Sanjay Manjrekar said that Abhishek Sharma is ideally suited for T20 cricket, as he looks to get maximum value from every ball with a fearless mindset. He described him as a natural hitter who does not worry about getting out or chasing personal milestones.

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"So this is a guy who tries to maximize returns on every ball. Great ballhitting talent, is unselfish, not afraid to get out, and doesn't care about milestones, which is what makes him a sensational player. And he's pretty good-looking as well," Manjrekar said.

"It's a god-given talent. The other thing to like about him is that he is extremely unselfish. When you look at the hundreds he has got in T20Is, the strike rate is over 200. He is not somebody who is going to slow down just because he is in the 90s."

"He doesn't care about getting out, which is a great quality to have in T20 cricket. First ball, he'll take a risk and try to hit it for a six. Such batters are extremely dangerous. Not those who will hit a boundary and look to extend their innings," he further elaborated.

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A post shared by Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaysphotos)

Look At Abhishek Sharma's Technique - Sanjay Manjrekar

Manjrekar said that Abhishek’s style fits perfectly with the demands of the shorter format. Manjrekar pointed out that batting requirements change completely from Tests to T20s. He added that Abhishek’s technique allows him to score quickly, which suits T20 cricket’s demands.

"It's very interesting when you look at Abhishek Sharma's technique and then compare it with Test cricket technique. Abhishek Sharma is the perfect model when it comes to technique in T20 cricket," said Manjrekar (via the aforementioned source).

"In Test cricket, we often talk about how the bat and pad must come close together, and you have to play close to the body. If you do that in T20 cricket, you are finished. You'll have a strike rate of 20. In T20 cricket, it's exactly the opposite," he added.

Abhishek does wonderfully - Sanjay Manjrekar

The cricketer-turned-commentator said that players should allow space for a full bat swing so the bat can come through cleanly to strike the ball in T20s, and that Abhishek executes this approach extremely well.

"Don't get your bat and pad close together. In fact, do everything possible to make sure nothing comes in the way of your bat and big bat swing. That way, the bat is clear to come down and hit the ball. It's a simple T20 technique you must embrace. And that is what Abhishek Sharma does wonderfully," he concluded.

In just 18 months since his international debut, Sharma became the fastest player to reach 1,000 T20I runs and recorded two of India’s top five fastest fifties. He has scored 1,267 runs in 36 innings at an average of 38.39 and a strike rate of 195.22, including two centuries.

Also read: "He doesn't want to bat against...": Arshdeep Singh EXPOSES Abhishek Sharma