Image: Yuvraj Singh’s mentorship turned Abhishek Sharma from party lover to T20 star / © Zee News - India.com
For the 2025 IPL season, Abhishek Sharma’s rise has been nothing short of sensational, and a surprising revelation by Yograj Singh has thrown light on the intense mentoring behind it. Yograj disclosed that his son, Yuvraj Singh, once “locked up” Abhishek to discipline him after the youngster was more interested in partying than training. Abhishek’s father handed him over to Yuvraj, who took charge of his training during a critical phase of his development.
Yuvraj’s strict regime has paid off massively. In the 2024 IPL season, Abhishek scored 484 runs at a staggering strike rate of over 204, smashing a record 42 sixes, having never crossed 13 sixes in any previous IPL season. His performances not only propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad’s campaign but also earned him a maiden India call-up.
Since then, Abhishek has amassed over 500 runs in 17 T20Is, including two centuries and two fifties. Yograj also mentioned that Yuvraj similarly trained Shubman Gill, even housing both Gill and Abhishek during the COVID lockdown to personally supervise their growth. The story has sparked buzz, highlighting how discipline and mentorship played a major role in shaping Abhishek’s transformation into a national-level star.