Former Indian Test opener Wasim Jaffer showered praise on Abhishek Sharma after Sunrisers Hyderabad registered a 47-run win against Delhi Capitals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, on Tuesday.
Sharma scored a magnum opus knock of 135 runs off just 68 balls with the help of 10 fours and as many sixes. Thus, he played an instrumental role in helping SRH post an above-par score of 242 runs on the board and was awarded Player of the Match.
Abhishek completed his second IPL century off just 47 balls as he batted at the top of his game. Jaffer said Abhishek has taken the onus of a senior batter on his shoulders.
Wasim Jaffer said on his YouTube Channel, “And now it seems that in this SRH team, he has become a more responsible player, almost like a senior batter. When he came in, he was young and raw, but after three to four seasons, he now looks like a senior member of the group and takes on responsibility. His consistency has also improved, which is a great thing to see.”
Jaffer praised Abhishek for his attacking approach against the DC spinners. Nitish Rana conceded 55 runs in his four overs, whereas Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel were taken for 53 runs in four overs they bowled collectively.
“It is not surprising to see such a destructive player because this is exactly what we expect from him. And when he plays like this, we know he does not allow spinners to settle. I think there was a phase, especially against spinners in the World Cup, where he got stuck a bit. Otherwise, he is a very destructive player against spin. And that is exactly what we saw today as well, whether it was the way he attacked Nitish Rana or the other spinners in the previous game.”
The former domestic giant hailed Abhishek Sharma as a match-winner after SRH’s resounding win against DC.
“Overall, he is a fantastic striker of the ball. And it is not just this century, he had already scored 141 against Punjab before, and today also he made 135. So when he plays like this, at almost a 200 strike rate in an innings, he is, in a way, a single-handed match-winner. It feels great to watch because this is exactly what we expect from Abhishek Sharma.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad will next take on Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur, on Saturday.
