“I try to get…” - Abhishek Sharma reveals how he prepares for a T20 game

Team India dashing opening batter Abhishek Sharma has opened up on the reason behind his success in the shortest format of the game. Notably, Abhishek started the five-match T20I series against New Zealand with a POTM performance.

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Speaking exclusively to JioStar ahead of the second T20I against New Zealand in Raipur, Abhishek asserted his pre-game preparation focuses more on simulating real-match conditions in the nets by practising against bowlers who replicate opponents. 

For the unversed, Abhishek has been in sensational form since last year, scoring 943 runs in 22 matches and innings at an average of 44.90 and a strike rate of 196.86, with a century and six half-centuries.

"It is all about the preparation I do before a match. I try to get similar bowlers to bowl at me in the nets. For every bowler in the other team, I find someone similar to practice against. I ask them to bowl outswingers, inswingers, and use the new ball. I also ask them to take certain fielders out for me. I know, especially going into the World Cup and any match, they won't give me a lot of pace. I realised that in the last few matches, so I have been working on it. If you want to play aggressive cricket, you have to be prepared for different situations all the time," Abhishek Sharma told JioStar.

Furthermore, the opening batter also revealed that he adjusted his back lift by raising it above waist height to improve his timing and bat flow. He went on to add that these technical changes helped him avoid being late on hitting the deliveries. 

"I have always had a high grip holding position on the bat. The only thing I worked on was my back lift. I used to keep it a bit low, but now I keep it above my waist so I can get a smooth flow. When it was low, I was getting late on some balls. So I practised that. But the back lift and the grip are both natural for me,” he concluded.

While Abhishek started the series on an impressive note with an 84-run knock, he went on to suffer a golden duck in the second T20I. India will next take on New Zealand in the third T20I, on Sunday, January 25, in Guwahati.

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