India’s rising star Abhishek Sharma has credited former India opener Shikhar Dhawan for playing a key role in his development as a match-winner. The young batter revealed that Dhawan not only guided him on mental aspects but also introduced him to journaling and the power of manifestation, a practice that has helped him stay focused and confident in his cricketing journey.
Abhishek, who was the highest run-scorer in the Asia Cup 2025 with 314 runs from seven matches, including three half-centuries and a top score of 75, said that Dhawan’s mentorship transformed his mindset. “Shikhar Dhawan had told me that manifestation is important, just manifest that you have already done it. He invited me to his home to have this conversation. He made me start writing in a diary. One thing is visualising that I will do it, and the other is to visualise that I am doing it. That I am the best player of India, I have won many matches for the team, he made me write this,” Abhishek said during an episode of Breakfast with Champions.
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Dhawan’s Influence
Dhawan’s influence appears to have gone beyond technique or training, inspiring Abhishek to adopt strengthening mental routines. The young batter admitted that he continues journaling as part of his pre-match ritual, something he used creatively during the IPL 2025 season when representing Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
During that season, Abhishek played a memorable innings of 141 runs against Punjab Kings (PBKS), one of the few bright spots in SRH’s otherwise difficult campaign. After reaching his century, he brought out a folded piece of paper from his pocket with a message written on it – “This one’s for the Orange Army.” He later revealed the story behind this celebration, saying, “I do journaling before every game in the morning. So instead of that, I thought to write a chit. I wrote ‘This one is for Orange Army’. I kept it in my pocket. When I got to my fifty, I did not remember I had it too. I kept playing and the moment I made a hundred and celebrated, I remembered it and took the chit out.”
Abhishek Crucial For India
Despite SRH’s struggles, Abhishek’s performances have firmly established him among India’s brightest new talents. Following his Asia Cup success, where India lifted the trophy with his crucial contributions, Abhishek went on to play for India A in the second unofficial ODI against Australia A at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. However, his outing was brief as he was dismissed for a golden duck.
The southpaw’s next big challenge will be the upcoming five-match T20I series against Australia, where he will aim to strengthen his spot in the national setup. Having shown maturity, skill, and an evolving mindset guided by his mentors, Abhishek Sharma continues to emerge as one of India’s most promising new-generation cricketers