By Parth Dhall | Oct 07, 2025, 11:14 PM
**Brian Lara Endorses Abhishek Sharma’s Ambition to Break into India’s Test Squad**
Brian Lara, the legendary West Indies cricketer and former head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), has revealed that India’s T20 sensation Abhishek Sharma is eager to make his way into the national Test team. This comes on the back of Abhishek’s stellar performances in the 2025 T20 Asia Cup and his growing reputation as one of the most destructive openers in white-ball cricket. Notably, Abhishek boasts an impressive strike rate of 196.07 in T20 Internationals.
### Lara’s Endorsement: Praising Talent and Determination
Having closely observed Abhishek during their time together at SRH, Lara lauded the young cricketer’s immense talent and grit. Speaking at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai on Tuesday, Lara said,
“He’s an amazing young player. They had a lot of great young players in that squad that I was with, not just Abhishek. But I think he’s something very special.”
The West Indies legend also credited former Indian star Yuvraj Singh for influencing Abhishek’s batting style and development.
### Abhishek Sharma’s Stellar Form in Asia Cup 2025
Abhishek was India’s leading run-scorer in the 2025 Asia Cup, scoring 314 runs from seven games at a breathtaking strike rate of 200.00. The left-handed batter registered three half-centuries and smashed 19 sixes throughout the tournament held in the UAE.
By amassing these runs, Abhishek set the record for the most runs by any batter in a single T20 Asia Cup edition. He also holds the distinction of having the second-most runs for India in a T20I series or tournament.
### Ambitions Beyond White-Ball Cricket: Test Aspirations
Despite excelling in T20 and 50-over formats, Abhishek remains determined to break into India’s Test squad. Lara revealed,
“What’s amazing is that he would give me a call, and even with the success he’s having in T20 cricket, he still wants to find a way to get into the Test team.”
Currently, Abhishek has scored 1,071 runs from 24 First-Class matches at an average of 30.60, including one century and five half-centuries — suggesting his potential to thrive in the longer format.
### Reigning as the Top-Ranked Batter in T20Is
Abhishek recently achieved the highest-ever rating in the ICC Men’s T20I Batter Rankings. His match-winning performance in India’s semi-final victory over Sri Lanka at the Asia Cup helped him reach a career-high rating of 931 points, surpassing Dawid Malan’s previous best of 919 points.
### The Lara-Abhishek Connection
Abhishek’s rise in T20 cricket can be closely linked to his association with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. Having been with the Orange Army since 2019, his breakout season came last year when he scored 484 runs at a stunning strike rate of 204.21.
His prolific opening partnerships, especially with Travis Head, have produced several memorable records. Lara was part of SRH’s coaching staff between 2022 and 2023, during which he closely mentored Abhishek.
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As Abhishek Sharma continues to evolve as a dynamic white-ball player, his ambitions to transition into a dependable Test cricketer add an exciting new chapter to his burgeoning career. With endorsements from cricketing greats like Brian Lara and support from experienced mentors, the future looks promising for this young Indian talent.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/brian-lara-heaps-praise-on-abhishek-sharma/story
