‘Abhishek Sharma is the most complete opening batter in T20 cricket’ – T20 World Cup winner from England lauds Indian opener

Kevin Pietersen, who won the Player of the Tournament award in England’s triumphant campaign in the 2010 T20 World Cup, lauded Indian opener Abhishek Sharma’s talent as a batter in the shortest format of the game.

Abhishek has had a magnificent start to his international career, amassing 1012 runs in 28 innings at an average of 37.48 and a strike rate of 189.52 in T20Is. He has already registered six fifties and two centuries. The Punjab batter finished as the highest run-getter in the Asia Cup as well as the subsequent five-match series against Australia.

Pietersen called Abhishek the “most complete opening batter in T20 cricket”. The cricketer-turned-commentator also mentioned that the southpaw’s rise has not come as a surprise to him.

“Not surprised at all by this. Abhishek is the most complete opening batter in T20 cricket. Fearless, courageous and talented!” Pietersen quote-retweeted a post from CricTracker on his X account.

In the recently concluded five-match T20I series against Australia, the 25-year-old slammed 163 runs in five innings at an average of 40.75 and a strike rate of 161.39. During the fifth T20I at The Gabba in Brisbane last week, Abhishek became the fastest to 1000 T20I runs by balls faced by full-member nations. He took just 528 balls to get to the four-figure mark, surpassing Suryakumar Yadav’s record (573 balls).

Abhishek also became the second-fastest Indian batter to score 1000 runs in terms of innings. He got to the landmark in 28 innings, one more than former India captain Virat Kohli, who sits at the top.

Abhishek will return to action during India’s five-match T20I series against South Africa, starting on December 9. Before this assignment, the Men in Blue will play two Tests and three ODIs against the Proteas.