Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has issued a word of caution to Abhishek Sharma, advising the top-ranked T20I batter to be more selective with his aggressive shot-making ahead of India’s title defense at next year’s T20 World Cup.Abhishek, who has been in stellar form throughout 2025, has become a vital part of India’s T20I setup. Known for stepping out of his crease early to take on bowlers, the left-hander has made the approach his trademark move, and one that has often helped him dominate the powerplay.
The 25-year-old’s consistency was on full display during India’s unbeaten Asia Cup campaign, where he finished as the tournament’s top run-scorer. He carried that momentum into the five-match T20I series in Australia, scoring 163 runs at an average of 40.75 to earn the Player of the Series award. However, Pathan feels that the same aggressive method could become a weakness once opposition teams prepare specifically for it. “Abhishek won the Man of the Series, but when you look closely, teams come prepared in the World Cup. If Abhishek continues to step out, then teams will begin to work him out. He should pick and choose,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel. “You can’t step out every bowler on the first ball of every innings. There should be a rationale behind an aggressive approach.” During the rain-affected final T20I in Brisbane, Abhishek found it difficult to counter Australia’s Nathan Ellis, who used variations effectively. Pathan pointed out that this could be an area for improvement. “Abhishek struggled against Nathan Ellis. Teams will now use a bowler with a lot of variations in the powerplay. I am sure team management will be focusing on this. Even Yuvraj Singh will be focusing on it. On a light-hearted note, Pathan even said that he can have a word with Yuvraj Singh, who is Abhishek’s ‘mentor’.
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Despite occasional struggles, Abhishek continued to provide India with quick starts, including a 37-ball 68 on a challenging surface in Melbourne. India, however, fell short in that match, losing by four wickets. With the T20 World Cup fast approaching, Pathan’s advice comes as a timely reminder for India’s young star to balance aggression with caution.
