Who stands out as the top Indian opener in the IPL? Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has a clear answer, naming Abhishek Sharma. Bangar suggested a batting template for the opening phase, saying it would be Abhishek at the top, followed by Virat Kohli. He then placed Shubman Gill and KL Rahul at number three and four, with Rohit Sharma next, and Shikhar Dhawan at six. In his sequence, Virender Sehwag comes in at seven, while he slots Gautam Gambhir at eight, adding that this balance fits the way T20 cricket has evolved.<\/p>\n
Abhishek Sharma, currently ranked second among the leading run-scorers in the IPL 2026, has amassed 475 runs in 11 innings. His season includes three half-centuries and one hundred, underlining his consistency at the top of the order.<\/p>\n
However, on Wednesday, the Sunrisers Hyderabad batter was unable to turn a promising start into a bigger score. Abhishek made 35 off 13 balls, but SRH still finished on 235\/4 in their 20 overs.<\/p>\n
Abhishek Sharma has also spoken at length about how training with former India all-rounder and his childhood idol, Yuvraj Singh, has shaped his approach. The World No. 1 T20I batter said the experience helped him build a firmer mindset geared toward delivering in high-pressure situations for the national team.<\/p>\n
Speaking on JioStar, Abhishek recalled that working closely with Yuvraj Singh during the lockdown period proved to be a turning point for him, both in technical preparation and mental clarity. He said that training with Yuvi paaji was a major moment because he had always looked up to him, with guidance arriving early but time together being limited\u2014until the lockdown created the opportunity for them to work closely.<\/p>\n
The left-handed batter also pointed to a key message from Yuvraj Singh that influenced how he views his own role and responsibilities. Abhishek credits the mentorship with pushing him to focus on impact during crucial moments, rather than simply collecting experience at lower levels, and said it helped him adopt a long-term mindset for success on the international stage.<\/p>\n
He added that when their camp began, Yuvraj Singh shared something that significantly changed his belief. Abhishek said the training and mental framework they were building was not meant only for domestic cricket or the IPL, and not just for appearing in a few matches for India. Instead, he explained that Yuvraj was preparing him mentally to win big for the country, to play decisive innings, and to contribute with the ball when it matters most.<\/p>\n
Sharma further discussed the early inspiration behind his cricketing journey, crediting his father and memorable India matches for motivating him to pursue the sport professionally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Who stands out as the top Indian opener in the IPL? Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has a clear answer, naming Abhishek Sharma. Bangar…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7930,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Sanjay Bangar Picks Abhishek Sharma as IPL Opener","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Sanjay Bangar backs Abhishek Sharma as IPL\u2019s best Indian opener, outlining his top-order batting template with Kohli, Gill, Rahul and more.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n