Abhishek Sharma’s Record-Smashing Innings: Stats, Highlights & What His IPL Surge Means for Team India

Rising left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma has turned the India-Australia T20I series into his personal coming-of-age tour, backing up a fighting 68 at the SCG with another rapid start in Brisbane that set social media ablaze. During the pre-match press conference the 25-year-old stole the spotlight when a reporter informed him that Josh Hazlewood would miss the next game. “Oh, is he? I didn’t know that!” Sharma laughed, triggering a wave of memes and light-hearted banter across cricket circles. Sharma’s consistency is rewriting record books; he is now only 64 runs shy of becoming the fastest Indian to 1,000 T20I runs, a milestone currently owned by Virat Kohli. His fearless stroke-play has propelled him to 742 runs from just 24 innings in 2025, the most by any batter in the format this year. India’s lower order has fed off his momentum too. In Melbourne he stitched a gritty 56-run sixth-wicket stand with fellow youngster Harshit Rana, rescuing the visitors from 97-5 to a competitive total and drawing praise from skipper Suryakumar Yadav for “reading the situation like a veteran”. Off the field the Punjab star remains a viral sensation. Fans are still ribbing him for arriving at training with what teammate Arshdeep Singh dubbed a “limitation edition” luxury duffel bag, prompting Sharma to joke that he might auction it for charity if India clinch the series. Looking ahead, Sharma is expected to open again in Wednesday’s fourth T20I at Adelaide Oval, where Australia are likely to recall Hazlewood and Pat Cummins on a grassy deck. Another 40-plus knock will push the southpaw within touching distance of Kohli’s landmark while giving India a decisive 3-1 lead. With form, flair and a growing legion of fans on his side, Abhishek Sharma is fast becoming the headline act of India’s summer Down Under.