Yuvraj Singh is advocating for Abhishek Sharma’s promotion to the Indian ODI squad, citing the opener’s sustained performance in white-ball cricket. Yuvraj, who has been working closely with the youngster, suggests that consistent performers deserve a chance in the 50-over format, particularly as the team looks toward future World Cup campaigns. He noted that while internal competition for national spots remains high, talent should be given the opportunity to showcase its worth at the international level. Abhishek Sharma may be a classic example.
Beyond his batting prowess, Yuvraj sees significant leadership potential in Abhishek. The former India star pointed to the way the younger player handles himself on the field, including his supportive attitude toward teammates like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. During the recent third T20I against New Zealand in Wellington, the duo shared a 133-run opening partnership in just 7.1 overs, with Abhishek scoring a century and Sooryavanshi adding a aggressive 45 off 19 balls. Yuvraj highlighted how Abhishek frequently encourages younger players, a quality he considers essential for a senior leader. There was no sign of insecurity in Abhishek in the way he treated and encouraged Sooryavanshi. Whatever you want to call it,” Yuvraj tells, i think that’s a good sign of a senior leader. That gives you the kind of confidence you need to lead India.
Abhishek’s development has been bolstered by a shared passion for golf, a sport Yuvraj introduced him to during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the veteran, the two often train together in Chandigarh and New Delhi, and have even played rounds in locations like Sardinia and Marrakech. Yuvraj explains that while the primary goal of introducing golf was to help Abhishek unwind from the rigors of cricket, the sport has secondary benefits. Experts like Kiran More suggest that golf helps with head positioning, bat swing extension, and overall temperament, which can assist in building concentration and minimizing errors on the cricket pitch. Particularly because the ball is stationary in the game of greens and fairways, while it is necessarily in motion in the game of bat and ball, whether golf can really help a cricketer’s batting skills is a matter of interpretation. That said, cricketers are known to possess the hand-eye coordination that golf also demands, and the sport could further augment that skill, apart from helping in swing movement, power-hitting, ball sense and competitive drive. More so overseas players than Indians, but Abhishek has already developed a liking for the sport, cricketers are known to take to golf like a fish to water. Both also strolled on the green expanses even in exotic cities and locations. They went to play a few rounds during visits to Sardinia, an island in Italy, and Marrakech, in Morocco, before that, earlier this summer. Joining his overseas teammates, who rarely miss an opportunity to hit the course, whether in Hyderabad or at other IPL venues where SRH play their away games, so taken is Abhishek with swinging his club around that he would even play the golf regularly during the IPL. He is also committing fewer mistakes and often gets the ball to attain both altitude and distance, a skill that golfers often seek to develop through the swing of the club: both height and distance, with experience. But Yuvraj, who was in Mumbai for a promotional event on Friday, addressed the two elephants in the room — when and whether Abhishek would be ready for the ODIs and whether he was prepared to take on a leadership role. “Well, it’s too early to say whether he has the makings of a captain, but I feel he has all the qualities of a leader. I’m sure time will tell whether he is capable of doing it.
This mentorship extends to high-pressure environments as well. When Sooryavanshi narrowly missed a century in an IPL Eliminator earlier this year—scoring 97 off 29 balls—Abhishek was the first to console him, despite playing for the opposing franchise. Yuvraj views such gestures as evidence of a maturing leader. He suggested that if Abhishek aspires to lead India in the future, gaining captaincy experience in the IPL would be a natural and vital progression.
Regarding his potential for the ODI side, Yuvraj noted that current head coach Gautam Gambhir appears interested in the idea. He stressed that even if Abhishek is performing well as a pure batter, he might be expected to contribute more with bowling or fielding to solidify his place. Ultimately, Yuvraj remains confident in the younger player’s trajectory, stating that Abhishek is destined to finish as a great white-ball cricketer regardless of whether he assumes the captaincy. Something one understands, even India head coach Gautam Gambhir wants. “Whether he has scored 35, 100 or 31, 100, the point is that he has been performing co, yuvraj also called for Abhishek’s inclusion in the ODI set-up. He was brilliant and made his own place in the T20 squad.
