Dubai: India skipper Suryakumar Yadav described Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill as a captivating “fire-and-ice” duo in the T20 setup, thanks to their contrasting batting styles and deep friendship.
On Sunday, what seemed like a challenging chase of 172 against arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup turned into a breeze as the lifelong friends stitched together a dazzling 105-run opening partnership.
Abhishek impressed with a blistering 74 off 39 balls—his first fifty of the tournament—while Gill bounced back from a quiet league stage with a stylish 47 off 28 deliveries.
“They are like fire and ice. They complement each other perfectly. If one is dominating, the other can focus on rotating the strike. Today, a solid start was crucial, and they delivered,” Suryakumar said after India’s six-wicket win in the Super 4 clash.
Having batted together since their Punjab U-12 days, the duo reads each other’s game intuitively, swapping roles before the opposition can react. Abhishek favors aerial strokes, while Gill carves the field with surgical precision. Where Abhishek goes for power, Gill relies on elegance. Against spin, Gill looked imperious, but credit also goes to Abhishek, who had bowled lengthy spells of left-arm spin to him in practice before the Pakistan game.
Suryakumar emphasized that off-field friendship translates into on-field understanding. “Being good friends off the field is crucial. When you open together, sometimes a simple glance is enough to communicate—whether to take a cheeky single or to support each other if one is struggling. That bond shows when they bat together.”
Their dedication in the nets is equally remarkable. Even on optional days, the pair turns up—playing full 40-over games in scorching Abu Dhabi heat, traveling hours from Dubai, or training together at the ICC Academy. During the COVID phase, they even stayed at Yuvraj Singh’s Chandigarh residence, training with the legend himself.
Suryakumar, a master of innovative T20 hitting, also highlighted their growth, particularly Abhishek’s. “Abhishek has evolved massively in the past six to eight months. He is selfless, knows when to attack, reads the game, and never misses practice. Hard work always pays off.”
Regarding Gill, the skipper noted, “Shubman’s strength lies in scoring runs with minimal risk while maximizing rewards. Today, he backed his shots, trusted his strokes, and executed a reverse sweep he’s been working on diligently. Credit also goes to Abhishek for helping him in nets.”
Together, Abhishek and Gill exemplify how friendship, hard work, and complementary skills can turn opening partnerships into match-winning performances.
