Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of Asia Cup 2025.
Australia's white-ball captain Pat Cummins will miss the opening matches of IPL 2026 due to a back injury, forcing Sunrisers Hyderabad to appoint a temporary leader. India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will take charge in his absence, with Abhishek Sharma named vice-captain.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the must-win match against Zimbabwe on Thursday?
Abhishek Sharma focuses on his batting against spin during a net session ahead of the T20 World Cup semifinal against England, recalling his past success at Wankhede Stadium.
Abhishek Sharma blasted a half-century from 14 balls -- the second fastest by an Indian batter in T20 Internationals.
He now has the most sixes in an IPL season -- 39 maximums -- bettering Virat Kohli's tally of 38 in 2016. The 23 year old's smoking innings came at a strike rate of over 210! With 467 runs from 13 innings and 3 50s, Abhishek is not done yet and ready to give bowlers nightmares in the play-offs.
Abhishek Sharma smashed the joint third-fastest half-century and broke his own record for most sixes by an Indian in a T20 innings while scoring an unbeaten 148 in Punjab's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Bengal, in Hyderabad, on Sunday.
Abhishek Sharma has been outstanding with the bat in T20 Internationals, having smashed two centuries and seven fifties to amass 1199 runs at a phenomenal strike rate of 190.92.
Abhishek Sharma's dynamic 59 and skipper Shreyas Iyer's composed 68 helped India gain a slice of positivity despite their first T20I against England getting abandoned because of incessant rains.
Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has completed 5,000 international runs across all formats, achieving this milestone during a T20I against England where he scored 68 runs. The article also highlights his impressive career statistics and mentions Abhishek Sharma's new record for the fastest 100 T20I sixes by a Test-playing nation player.
Punjab's Abhishek Sharma hammered a 96-ball 170 against Saurashtra, while Jharkhand's Utkarsh Singh's 91 fired his team to a big win against Odisha
India's bowling coach Morne Morkel has indicated that the team management will continue to back openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, despite the impressive performance of teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Morkel stressed the importance of showing faith in established players who have performed well previously, while also acknowledging the excitement around new talents like Sooryavanshi and pacer Prince Yadav.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan emphasises staying focused on his role amidst the buzz around young talents like Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, stating, "I don't give so much focus to what's happening outside." He also shared insights on his own comeback and the importance of mentoring young players.
Ishan Kishan has ascended to the No.1 spot in the ICC T20I batting rankings, surpassing Abhishek Sharma after strong performances, including at the T20 World Cup. Jasprit Bumrah now leads the Test bowling rankings, while Travis Head is the top Test batter. The latest ICC rankings also show significant movements for other players across T20I and Test formats.
Former India cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara has praised Abhishek Sharma's talent after his explosive innings in an IPL match against Delhi Capitals.
Abhishek Sharma, the world's number one T20I batter, discusses the significant impact of training with Yuvraj Singh, highlighting how it strengthened his mindset for high-pressure situations and international cricket.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi attended the Wimbledon men's singles final, sharing the experience with Yuvraj Singh, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, marking his first visit to the iconic tournament.
India's young T20 stars, led by opener Abhishek Sharma's blistering 79 off 34 balls, helped India crush England by seven wickets in the first T20I in Kolkata.
Abhishek Sharma's unbeaten century propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad to a thumping 47-run victory against Delhi Capitals in their IPL match.
Ishan Kishan and Tilak Verma led an intent-filled batting effort with well-paced 81 and an unbeaten 60 respectively to help India crush Zimbabwe by 90 runs in the second T20I and seal the the three-match series 2-0.
Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has broken the record for most sixes by an Indian batter in a single IPL season, hitting 43 sixes in IPL 2026.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma says his good off-field bond with Australian opener Travis Head had translated into a successful partnership at the top of the order.
Abhishek Sharma had gone about scoring runs meticulously and the game turned following his dismissal.
At just 24, Abhishek Sharma has begun rewriting records that took years for others to set.
Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer has expressed confidence in the team's preparations ahead of the T20I series against Zimbabwe, aiming for his first series win as captain. The tour is seen as a crucial opportunity for the team to acclimatise and perform, with young talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma also in the spotlight.
Abhishek Sharma smashes a record 15-ball fifty against CSK, breaking his own SRH mark and becoming the third-fastest in IPL history while crossing 2,000 career runs.
Abhishek Sharma attributes his successful 2024 IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad to the team's supportive environment, which allowed youngsters to express themselves and perform optimally. He highlighted the backing from the coaches and captain as crucial to his development and performance.
Abhishek Sharma played a memorable innings in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 final, smashing a half-century in just 18 balls, providing India with early momentum.
Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 55 runs, but RCB secured the top spot in the IPL standings due to their net run rate. SRH posted a formidable 255/4, while RCB reached their target of 166 to ensure a top-two finish.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's remarkably adaptive 81 and an equally solid effort from bowlers led by pacer Mayank Yadav ensured India's smooth 35-run win over Zimbabwe in the third and final T20I
Abhishek Sharma was ruled out of India's 2nd T20 World Cup group match after recovering from illness, with the BCCI medical team continuing to monitor his condition.
Despite India's semi-final qualification in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, concerns linger over Abhishek Sharma's inconsistent form, with former captain Anil Kumble suggesting a lack of confidence.
Mentor Yuvraj Singh was very happy when I got out for duck, he must be proud now: Abhishek Sharma
Former India captain Anil Kumble advises Abhishek Sharma to balance his aggressive batting style with consistency, drawing parallels with Virender Sehwag's career progression.
Abhishek Sharma remains a doubtful starter for India's massive T20 World Cup group game against Pakistan, after recovering from a stomach infection and missing training and the match against Namibia in Delhi on Thursday.
Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi announced himself on the international stage in spectacular fashion, becoming the youngest batter to score a T20I half-century with a stunning 18-ball fifty against Zimbabwe in the first T20I in Harare on Thursday.
Yuvraj Singh praises Abhishek Sharma's crucial half-century against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup, highlighting the importance of letting the bat do the talking after a lean patch.
Suryakumar Yadav playfully addresses Abhishek Sharma's fitness ahead of the highly anticipated T20 World Cup match against Pakistan, hinting at his likely participation.
Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan lead the ICC T20I player rankings, while Connor Esterhuizen makes a significant jump after a strong series against New Zealand.
Abhishek Sharma's struggles in the T20 World Cup continue as he fails to score in his first three innings.
