'They speak hours on call': Abhishek Sharma's father reveals Brian Lara preparing youngster for Test debut

Yuvraj Singh's influence on Abhishek Sharma's career is widely known, but another batting legend—regarded as the greatest left-handed batsman of all time—has an equal stake in the 25-year-old. One of the greatest players of all time, Brian Charles Lara, has developed a particular interest in Abhishek's game and maintains regular communication with the young player.

Furthermore, Lara is gradually and subtly preparing Abhishek for his Test debut. Abhishek, who has already played 30 games for his team and is scheduled to make his first World Cup appearance in two months, is already a crucial part of India's T20I plans. He hasn't yet earned his ODI cap, but if he takes Lara's advice seriously and follows through on it, the day will come when Abhishek makes his spectacular debut in Test cricket. Because Lara is telling Abhishek to continue honing his red-ball skills apart from giving him advice on how to improve his game.

“Abhishek had his initial success in red ball cricket, and that’s what made him shine in white ball cricket. And Lara has also shared how he sees him as an all-format player. Lara speaks for hours with him over the phone, and he instructs him to play with the same style, same dominance, even against the red ball,” Abhishek’s father Raj Kumar Sharma, told The Indian Express.

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