SunRisers Hyderabad all-rounder Abhishek Sharma reminisced about lifting the Under-19 World Cup in 2018 and said that all players of the brigade including coach Rahul Dravid had dreamt of lifting the trophy. The Indian side, packed with young guns, defeated Pakistan in the semi-final clash and then outclassed Australia in the final to round off an incredible tournament in New Zealand.
In an exclusive interaction with India TV, Abhishek talked about his journey in the blue jersey and the experience of lifting the U-19 World Cup around three years ago.
"Under-19 World Cup was a very good experience as we were already playing in the age group for two years. Since the start, all players including Rahul Dravid sir dreamt of lifting the World Cup," said the 20-year-old.
"Our mindset was strong and so was our team bonding, which eventually helped to gain momentum in the tournament. Our combination was also strong and we knew about each other's strengths. Shubman Gill single-handedly steered us to the victory in the semi-final against Pakistan. We were really proud of him and the victory was a confidence-booster for us," he added.
Born in Amritsar, Abhishek considers Yuvraj Singh as his 'role model' and aims to break into the senior side soon. His IPL franchise SunRisers Hyderabad may have endured a torrid run in the recently-suspended IPL season, but Abhishek is confident of players putting up a good show in the second half.
Abhishek, who wants to bat higher up the order but is ready to adjust according to his team's needs, also spoke highly of captain Kane Williamson and ex-skipper David Warner.
"When you play with names like Warner and Williamson, you get to see how they prepare for every match and season. I also observe their discipline towards the game. They're legends for their respective countries. I also notice what both the players do during their match-routine ahead of IPL games.
"Yuvraj Singh has been my role model from the start. Used to see him win matches for India while growing up. As I'm also a left-handed batsman, I saw him as an idol."
"After a below-par IPL 2021, SunRisers Hyderabad would like to get a fresh start when the tournament resumes later this year. Every player knows his role and we would like to finish the season on a positive note," he further said.
