Abhishek Sharma was sensational for India in the third T20I against the West Indies on Sunday. His knock impressed former opener Aakash Chopra, who hailed the batter for putting aside his ego at the start of his innings before taking on the bowlers.

Abhishek amassed 69 runs off 30 balls as India posted 223 in their allotted 20 overs. The host nation then restricted the visitors to 209/7, winning the contest by 14 runs and taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Aakash highlighted Abhishek’s approach against Roston Chase.

“I knew Abhishek would do the demolish act. If Roston Chase was given the ball, Abhishek would go after him. However, he adopted a completely different approach against the spinner. He has also completed 2,000 runs in T20Is and is the fastest to achieve the feat,” Chopra said.

“He took around 1,000 deliveries, meaning a strike rate of close to 2000. He took singles against Roston Chase, and it shows the batter doesn’t have an ego. He could hit Chase, but he knew that Chase had taken his wicket twice, which meant he had to take revenge from the rival bowler,” he added.

Chopra pointed out that the young opener changed his approach and didn’t play across the line to dominate the bowler.

“However, he didn’t go for revenge but changed his approach. The change was that he had to give himself some time in the middle before hitting fours and sixes. He didn’t hit across the line but hit through the line. He made room for himself to hit a six,” he added.

Abhishek hit six fours and five sixes and took singles off the first three balls faced from Chase.

He then struck the off-spinner for two sixes and a four.

“He is a special player”: Aakash Chopra on Abhishek Sharma

Aakash Chopra mentioned that Abhishek Sharma is a special player who didn’t allow the West Indies bowlers to settle down.

“He showed that he is a special player when he started hitting the ball for sixes. I was waiting for his hundred, but he was dismissed by Shamar Springer,” he said.

Chopra thinks Abhishek would be disappointed as he couldn’t amass a century.

“It seems he was waiting for this match and was charged up.

He won’t be happy that he got out without reaching his century. A hundred was there for the taking in the third T20I,” he concluded.

Aakash Chopra heaped massive praise on Ishan Kishan for scoring 37 runs off 18 balls and adding 108 runs for the second wicket with Abhishek Sharma.