Former India star compares Abhishek Sharma with Chris Gayle

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has showered praise on young opener Abhishek Sharma, even drawing comparisons with legendary T20 hitter Chris Gayle after Sharma’s commanding knock against New Zealand in the third T20I. The performance has once again sparked debate over where Abhishek stands among the game’s most destructive power-hitters.

Abhishek has been in stunning form throughout the ongoing T20I series. In just four matches, he has piled up 152 runs, making him the second-highest scorer so far. His numbers underline his impact — an average of 50.66 coupled with a staggering strike rate of 266.66 - reflecting his fearless intent and ability to overpower bowlers from the outset.

Speaking about Sharma’s batting, Kaif highlighted how players with such an aggressive approach often struggle with consistency. He recalled how even someone like Chris Gayle, known for his six-hitting prowess, relied on game awareness to succeed.

“Batters who play this brand of cricket are usually hit-or-miss. We’ve seen many big names like Chris Gayle, who loved going for big shots,” Kaif said. “But Gayle was also smart. On certain pitches, like Bangalore, he would play out the first over and then explode once he got a feel of the conditions.”

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Kaif believes Abhishek has taken this attacking template a step further. According to him, the left-hander doesn’t need time to settle and is effective from the very first ball.

“Abhishek Sharma has gone beyond that. He starts attacking immediately, without waiting. You simply can’t praise him enough,” Kaif remarked.

He further stressed that what sets Abhishek apart is his consistency despite his high-risk style. “Usually, such batters produce one big innings and then fail a few times. But Abhishek delivers every game. Even if he faces just 12 or 14 balls, he can score 60 or 70 runs. That kind of impact wins matches. When Abhishek Sharma is in form, India’s chances of winning are extremely high,” Kaif concluded.