'He will definitely give feedback' - Parthiv Patel after Abhishek Sharma surpasses Yuvraj Singh's sixes tally

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has heaped praise on Abhishek Sharma following his fearless, match-winning knock in the first T20I against New Zealand in Nagpur.

Abhishek played a defining role in India’s commanding victory, smashing 84 runs off just 35 deliveries as the hosts piled up a mammoth 238/7. India later restricted New Zealand to 190/7, sealing a 48-run win to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Parthiv was asked about Abhishek’s innings and the feedback he might receive from his mentor Yuvraj Singh, especially after surpassing Yuvraj’s tally of T20I sixes.

"He will give it on social media first and then on WhatsApp. He will definitely give his feedback there, but the good thing is the way he is batting. We know that very few batters have the six-hitting ability in India that Yuvraj Singh had. It's good to see the atmosphere in which he is batting," Parthiv responded during a discussion on Star Sports.

The former India cricketer was particularly impressed with Abhishek’s intent and mental clarity, underlining how conviction plays a vital role in power-hitting at the international level.

"The quality is definitely there with the way he is batting, the thought process he is coming with, and the kind of form he is coming with. All those things go together, but the most important thing is how his intent and thought process are. You cannot play such shots if you have even the slightest of doubts. He is very clear in his intent that he would either hit or hit a lot," he observed.

Abhishek’s rapid rise is also reflected in his numbers. He has now struck 112 fours and 81 sixes in just 33 T20I innings, surpassing Yuvraj Singh’s tally of 77 fours and 74 sixes, which came across 51 innings.

Parthiv also touched upon the weight of expectations surrounding Abhishek, stressing that the battle ahead is more internal than external.

"The kind of standard he has set himself, we know how he is batting, so the expectation will be like that every time. Thus far, he has batted extremely well. When you bat so well, your fight is about living up to your own expectations. More than the team, from now onwards, a lot will matter on what he expects from himself," he replied.

India were in early trouble at 27/2 after the dismissals of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, but Abhishek counterattacked decisively, putting New Zealand on the back foot during a crucial third-wicket stand with captain Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 32 off 22 deliveries before getting out.

Parthiv highlighted how backing one’s natural game is essential in high-pressure situations.

"However, he should bat like this only. Here also two wickets had fallen, but he kept backing his game. That's extremely necessary. You can get into trouble if you have any doubt about whether you can hit a six or not when you bat like that, but Abhishek Sharma hasn't shown anything like that thus far," Parthiv observed.