Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has backed the idea of soon giving Abhishek Sharma his chance in the Test format. Singh noted that batters like Virender Sehwag, Travis Head, and Viv Richards take the game from the opposition with their blistering batting.
The Turbanator said Sharma has the same caliber and he can deliver for India in the red-ball version. The left-hander scored a majestic knock of 135 runs off just 54 balls in the fifth T20I against England at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, including seven fours and 13 maximums.
The southpaw has amassed 1071 runs in 24 first-class matches for Punjab at an average of 30.71 and a strike rate of 70.46.
“On his day, he just takes the game away. Travis Head does it, Virender Sehwag used to do it, Viv Richards used to do it. These kind of players are the ones who take the game forward. Today or tomorrow, his chance will come in Test cricket. You always need a player of the Sehwag mold in Test cricket who comes, smashes, and takes the game away. That can be Abhishek Sharma,” said Harbhajan on his YouTube Channel.
“He can play, banda todta hai usme bhi (he smashes in that format as well). He is captain of Punjab (in the Ranji Trophy).”
Meanwhile, Harbhajan Singh added that the trio of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, and Shubman Gill will soon be seen playing together in the white-ball formats for India.
“I am really looking forward to that period when they will be India’s top 3 [Gill, Jaiswal and Abhishek]. What a batting lineup that will be and those days are not too far away. Maybe in about six months we will see these three playing permanently for India in white-ball cricket,” said Harbhajan.
The first ODI between India and England will be played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur on Thursday.
