Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has lavished praise on Abhishek Sharma, saying the left-handed opener's ascent to the number one spot in the ICC T20I batting rankings is entirely a product of his own relentless hard work. Yuvraj, who has mentored the young opener, made the remarks on the sidelines of a launch event in Mumbai on 30 October 2026.

Yuvraj's Tribute to Abhishek

'Abhishek Sharma scored a century off 30 balls and then off 34 balls. I think it's the result of his hard work. He has worked very hard to get where he is. He is back at the number one spot in T20I rankings in world cricket, and all the credit goes to him,' Yuvraj said.

The former world-cup winner's words carry particular weight given that he has closely tracked Abhishek's development. Yuvraj also credited advances in sports science and recovery for the broader improvement he sees in Indian players, especially in white-ball cricket.

Abhishek's Stunning Wellington Knock

The backdrop to Yuvraj's praise was Abhishek's breathtaking performance in the third T20I against New Zealand in Wellington on 27 October 2026, where the 25-year-old smashed 113 off just 38 deliveries. He reached his half-century in just 14 balls before completing his fourth T20I international century, helping India chase down New Zealand's 198/3 in just 13.2 overs to win by six wickets.

The victory gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, underlining the team's dominance in the format.

Historic Milestone: Past Kohli, Into All-Time Top Three

The Wellington century was Abhishek's 11th hundred in T20 cricket, taking him past Virat Kohli's tally of 10 to become the Indian with the most centuries in T20 cricket. Globally, he now sits third on the all-time list of T20 centurions, behind only Chris Gayle (22) and Babar Azam (13).

This is the kind of statistical landmark that reframes a career — Abhishek has moved from promising prospect to record-holder in a format that rewards fearlessness above all else.

Yuvraj's Playful Post on X

Yuvraj had also responded to the Wellington innings on social media platform X, taking a playful dig at his protege: 'You still can't get 50 off 12, can you? @OfficialAbhi04! Looks like two left-handers batting in their backyard!' The post reflected the easy camaraderie between mentor and mentee, while underscoring just how extraordinary the innings was.

Sports Science and the New Indian Cricketer

'If you play sports, you will get injured. There will be on-ground injuries. Recovery has to be better. Feel in terms of science, obviously players are getting better. They are recovering better; they are playing better. Their skill is better; they are becoming faster. So I feel that our players are doing really well. Especially in white-ball cricket,' Yuvraj said.

His remarks point to a structural shift in Indian cricket — where investment in physiology and recovery infrastructure is producing athletes who can sustain high-intensity formats across long tours. With two matches still remaining in the New Zealand series, all eyes will be on whether Abhishek can add to his already-historic tally.