Punjab’s childhood friends Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma, who grew up playing cricket together, have now become India’s two biggest hopes. Gill and Abhishek Sharma have transformed their early dreams into a powerful Indian cricket story.
Strong journey of Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma in Indian cricket
Both Gill and Abhishek started their journey in Punjab cricket and caught everyone’s attention with their performances for the India Under-19 team. His talent was obvious from a young age, but two different styles of success came his way after that.
Gill became a household name after his excellent performances in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, where he was named Player of the Tournament after scoring 372 runs at an average of 124.00. His calm mind, clean batting style and strong technique helped him rise rapidly in the IPL and then into the senior Indian cricket team.
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The right-handed batsman made his India debut against New Zealand in January 2019. Over the years, he became one of India’s most dependable top-order batsmen across all formats. His journey reached a new level in 2025, when he was given the Test and ODI captaincy of India.
Shubman Gill’s India stats:
| Format | Matchbox | it goes | average | 100s/50s | highest score |
| Examination | 40 | 2843 | 43.07 | 10/8 | 269 |
| ODI | 61 | 2953 | 55.71 | 8/17 | 208 |
| t20 | 36 | 869 | 28.03 | 1/3 | 126* |
From raw talent to T20 destroyer: Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma’s journey was equally special but very different. Abhishek, a left-handed all-rounder with fearless batting, was known for his aggressive mindset from an early age. He led India to the Under-19 Asia Cup title in 2016 and was also a part of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup-winning team.
Unlike Gill, Abhishek’s development took time and careful planning. He worked hard on his batting power and spin bowling, gradually building himself into a T20 match-winner. His big breakthrough came after a brilliant IPL 2024 season with Sunrisers Hyderabad, where his six-hitting ability stunned everyone.
That performance opened the door for the Indian T20 team in September 2024. After his debut, the youngster made an immediate impact. He played fearless cricket and became one of India’s most dangerous opening batsmen. Abhishek is currently the number one ranked T20I batsman.
Abhishek Sharma Statistics:
| Format | Matchbox | it goes | average | 100s/50s | highest score |
| t20 | 37 | 1267 | 37.26 | 2/8 | 135 |
| fc | 24 | 1071 | 30.60 | 1/5 | 100 |
| list a | 69 | 2196 | 33.78 | 4/8 | 170 |
Meanwhile, legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has played a big role in shaping the careers of both Abhishek and Gill. Behind the scenes, the two-time World Cup winner has guided both the youngsters with his experience and strong mentality.
Yuvraj helped him understand the technical side of batting, shared match awareness and taught him how to handle pressure at the highest level. More than skill, he focused on discipline, fitness and mental strength and both have at times attributed his success to them.
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Shubman Gill was made for India, Abhishek Sharma had to be made: Yuvraj Singh told a big truth
Recently, the former Indian star has clearly shown the difference between Gill and Abhishek in his initial journey. Yuvraj said that Gill was ready for India, but Abhishek was a raw talent who had to grow step by step. He needed time, guidance, and a strict long-term plan.
“Shubman was already playing for India. He was smarter, more hardworking and had a better work ethic. Abhishek is the guy we had to take there,” Yuvraj Singh told tennis icon and close friend Sania Mirza on her ‘Serving It Up with Sania’ show.
He further explained, “We had made a four-year plan that if you do these things in four years, with your talent, you can play for India. Like, I am not here to motivate you to play for the IPL or… I mean, the IPL is great, and the Ranji Trophy is great, but I am here to play for the country. And I think for four years he did exactly what I told him.
And he played for India for exactly four years and three months. So, you know, I think for a young person to have this process, to have them embrace this process and the results will come.”
Yuvraj Singh on Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma:
“Shubman was already playing for India. He is smarter, more hard-working and has a better work ethic.
Abhishek is the man we have to take there. We made a 4 year plan for him, if he follows certain things for four years, his… pic.twitter.com/KhhJbRH56T
– GillTheWill (@GillTheWill77) 29 January 2026
