But he has also blown hot and cold on occasion, being dismissed for under 20 in eight of his first 12 T20I innings. With India having a plethora of top-order batters, all potentially breathing down his neck and vying for the same position, the pressure can build on a man who is still only 24 years old.
However, Abhishek said his captain and coach have told him never to change his intent, and that’s what has given him the clarity to play fearless cricket.
“I have thought always from the start to be a team player,” Abhishek said in the press conference after setting up India’s win with 43 balls to spare. “In India there will always be a lot of competition [when it comes to selection] in our senior team. But when Suryakumar and Gautam paaji tell me to always keep my intent, that was a big moment for me, that when the team wants me to do that, then I can do it.
“As a batsman it can play on your mind if you don’t score runs in 3-4-5 innings, but the way the coach and captain have managed all the players, even when I’ve not done well – even then they tell us, ‘we know you’re gonna win the game for us, any game, just go and express yourself. I think when the captain or coach say this, you get confidence and you back yourself.”
Abhishek has worked closely with some great batters as a young man coming up the ranks, and he credits them for not only improving his batting but also giving him the scope to play freely.
“I believe I’m very lucky in this,” he said. “I’ve been working with Yuvi paaji at first. Going forward, I had Brian Lara, who really helped me at SRH. Moving forward, Dan Vettori was pretty simple, he just wanted everyone to express themselves, and I think that gave me the freedom to play my shots. So obviously with Yuvraj Singh, Brian Lara and even Gauti bhai right now, they just want me to showcase my talent the way I play and to back myself.”
Abhishek also revealed his style of preparation leading into big tournaments and series, while giving a nod to India’s new batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.
“I think it comes at the camp only, once you’re practicing for a tournament,” Abhishek said. “I try and want to face the kind of bowlers I will potentially face in a match.
“Special mention to Kotzy sir [Sitanshu Kotak] and Abhishek Nayar bhai. Both helped me in the nets to get me similar bowlers. I always believe that going into a match or a particular tournament, I hope I get similar bowlers that I will get in the match. Shot selection is very simple for me. I watch the ball and react.”
On a good batting surface in Kolkata, Abhishek did not forget to credit the India spinners for their strangle-job of an explosive line-up like England to restrict them to 132, going as far as calling Varun Chakravarthy a “game changer.”
“I think if you see the last few series, the way Varun has bowled, I think he has been a game changer for us,” he said. “When you get good wickets all around in the T20 format, you have to have that bowler that bowls really well. It is always difficult for other teams to pick him up. Also the other spinners, Ravi Bishnoi and Axar bhai. It is very difficult for batters to play shots.”
Sreshth Shah is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @sreshthx
