Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma says his batting has been shaped by the no-nonsense, attacking approach of teammate Travis Head, crediting the Australian’s mindset for influencing how he goes about his work at the top of the order in the IPL.
Head’s aggressive mindset leaves a mark on Abhishek
Speaking on JioStar, the World No. 1 T20I batter revealed that he had been keeping a close eye on Head’s performances well before the Australian joined SRH. Abhishek said he was delighted when the two finally became teammates, and his first conversation with Head was about batting intent.
- Abhishek stated he had followed Travis Head’s game for about a year and a half before Head arrived at Sunrisers Hyderabad.
- He said his happiness at becoming Head’s teammate was followed by asking him directly about his batting mindset.
- Abhishek added that Head’s fearless approach and ability to impose himself on bowling attacks have particularly stood out to him.
A simple plan: watch the ball and attack early
The SRH opener explained that Head’s batting philosophy is straightforward and has since seeped into his own preparation. Abhishek said Head’s guidance was to closely track the ball and, when a batter senses an opportunity, to commit to an early strike rather than hesitate.
Abhishek shared the essence of Head’s advice as: watch the ball closely, and if the first delivery is hittable, go for it. He further revealed that he put that idea into practice during his training leading into the IPL.
- Head’s guidance to Abhishek: focus on the ball and attack the first delivery if it’s in the hitting zone.
- Abhishek said he acted on this advice during practice ahead of the IPL.
- He also noted that he has now adopted a similarly aggressive stance at the start of SRH’s innings.
Abhishek’s IPL 2026 momentum and the next challenge vs MI
Abhishek also opened up on what the IPL experience means to him, describing the tournament as the place where the world’s leading cricketers come together. He said the league feels like the top T20 stage and that each season is a learning opportunity—whether playing alongside or against elite opponents.
- He described the IPL as a gathering of the best players from around the globe.
- Abhishek called it the number one T20 competition and said being part of it feels like a blessing.
- He said he treats every IPL season as a chance to learn from top-level match-ups.
- He added that playing with and against top players helps him grow.
For SRH in the ongoing IPL 2026 season, Abhishek has scored 380 runs in eight matches. He currently sits as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, trailing only Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old who has made 400 runs in nine appearances this season.
Abhishek has produced one century and three half-centuries so far, with a strike rate of 212.29 and an average of 54.29, underlining his explosive impact in the competition.
SRH’s next fixture will be a high-pressure meeting with five-time champions Mumbai Indians. The match is set to take place at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
