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Like his mentor Yuvraj Singh, young gun Abhishek Sharma goes on a six-hitting spree

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Abhishek Sharma plays a shot during the 1st T20I match against England, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday (ANI)

Yuvraj holds the record for the fastest fifty, brought up in just 12 deliveries in Durban in 2007. KL Rahul’s heroics in Manchester, in 2018 saw him reach his 50 in 27 deliveries

Our Bureau
Kolkata

Before India shifts its focus to the One-Day format, the Men in Blue kicked off the five-match T20I series against England with flying colours in Kolkata. With an all-rounded effort, England were stumped at the Eden Gardens as India celebrated an emphatic 7-wicket win. The series opener was expected to be a high-scoring affair, but the brilliance of the Indian bowlers turned it into a one-sided affair.

The T20I series will be followed by three ODIs against England, which will be the perfect opportunity for both teams to try and test their combination. India, the last edition’s finalists, will look to go all the way and lift the coveted Champions Trophy for the first time since 2013. India remains a favourite despite the concerning form of the Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Abhishek Sharma engineered an explosive performance and delivered India’s second-fastest fifty for India against England (in terms of balls faced) in the T20I format at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. Indian left-handers bashing English bowlers in the T20I format has been a love affair that became famous with Yuvraj Singh’s exploits in the 2007 T20 World Cup.

Abhishek’s six-hitting spree featured three maximums off Adil Rashid, two against Mark Wood, and one each off Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, and Gus Atkinson. His tally of eight sixes surpassed the previous Indian record of six sixes in a T20I chase, a mark jointly held by Rohit Sharma (achieved twice), Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Axar Patel.

Globally, the record for most sixes in a T20I chase stands at 18 by Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan. Among players from Full Member nations, South Africa’s Richard Levi holds the record with 13 sixes against New Zealand.

Mentored by Yuvraj, Abhishek put his power-hitting ability on exhibition in the series opener against English tearaways. His swift 79 from a mere 34 deliveries took centerstage as India effortlessly chased down 133 with more than seven overs to spare. During his blitzkrieg, Abhishek celebrated his 50 in just 20 balls, the second fastest by an Indian against England in the T20I format.

Abhishek’s mentor, Yuvraj, holds the record for hammering the fastest fifty, brought up in just 12 deliveries in Durban in 2007. KL Rahul’s heroics in Manchester, in 2018 saw him celebrate his fifty in 27 deliveries.

In Eden Gardens on Wednesday, out of Abhishek’s 79 runs, 68 came in the form of boundaries. With his repertoire of shots, he reeled away five fours and a whopping eight maximums while striking at 232.35.

He certainly had luck on his side after being dropped twice in the game. He unleashed a flurry of boundaries during his swashbuckling performance and brought up his fifty in style with a dazzling six.

Former India captain Kapil Dev expressed his delight with the way India engineered a commanding victory over England in the first T20I in Kolkata.

After the conclusion of the white-ball series with England, India will begin its journey of lifting the Champions Trophy next month. Ahead of the marquee event, the 1983 World Cup-winning captain said he “always” has best wishes for the Indian team.

“It felt good to see India winning the game yesterday. I hope India keeps on playing like this. I feel really happy,” Kapil Dev told reporters on Thursday.

Kapil said he “always” has best wishes for the Rohit Sharma-led side, which will begin its campaign on February 20.

Varun vows to work harder to “perfect” a key aspect of his game

India’s ace T20I spinner Varun Chakravarthy revealed the key aspect he has been working on to make his deliveries more mysterious after delivering a Player of the Match performance in the first T20I against England at Eden Gardens.

Kolkata’s local hero, Chakravarthy, showcased his unpredictable variations, leaving English batters in a spin. On a pitch where Chakravarthy has bowled extensively, it wasn’t the turn that made him effective, but the variation in pace combined with the bounce he generated off the surface.

Chakravarthy already has an ace up his sleeve — the googly, which is difficult for batters to pick. However, the 33-year-old has focused on varying his pace, keeping opposition batters guessing. “I’ve worked on trying to vary my pace. I don’t want batters to line me up because I’m bowling at the same speed every ball. That’s what I’ve worked on, and I’m trying to perfect it further,” Chakravarthy said on Disney+ Hotstar.

Chakravarthy quickly realised that bounce was the key to success, rather than relying solely on turn. He adjusted his plan of attack according to the surface’s requirements.

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