IPL 2024: Go and express yourself – Abhishek Sharma reveals coaching staff’s message

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s opener Abhishek Sharma has revealed that the captain and coaching staff’s message is to go and express yourself in the middle. So far, SRH openers – Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have done just that.

The left-handed pair once again showed their pyrotechnics as they smashed 125 runs in the first six overs, making the most of Powerplay overs against DC on Saturday. The pair added 131 runs for the opening alliance and played a key role in helping their team post a gargantuan score of 266 runs on the board after Pant decided to bowl first.

While Head scored 89 runs off just 32 balls, Sharma scored 12-ball 46. The Indian youngster smashed two fours and six maximums as he scored his runs at a strike rate of 383.33.

“The message was pretty easy from the coaches and the captain: go and express yourself. It was a very simple and powerful message coming from the coach and the captain because if you see, as a youngster and a top-order batter, you just have to get that confidence from your captain and coach and I think we got it from day one. Rest it’s our job to go there and play our game,” Abhishek said in the post-match press conference.

While Abhishek is striking at 215.97, Head is scoring at 216 in the ongoing IPL 2024 and thus they have been nightmares for the opposition bowlers.

On batting with Travis Head, Abhishek said, “It has always been a pleasure since day 1. There’s no pressure from the other end so I can just go out and express myself.”

“It’s joyful to watch Travis bat,” Abhishek said. “We have been talking a lot off the field, so that’s helping. Obviously I am looking to bat with him for the rest of the season. Even before this, the Punjab boys knew that I used to admire him a lot in all three formats and luckily we got him in our side, so that was really good.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will next take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Thursday.