A big statement has come from Faf du Plessis, who compared Abhishek Sharma to Chris Gayle after his explosive performance in IPL 2026.
The comment came after Sharma’s match-winning innings for Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he dominated the bowlers completely.
Faf du Plessis on Abhishek Sharma
Faf praised Sharma’s batting and said he becomes very dangerous on flat pitches.
- He said Sharma’s power returns fully when conditions support batting
- On good pitches, he can be as destructive as Chris Gayle
- He called Sharma’s batting “unbelievable”
According to Faf, when the ball comes nicely onto the bat, Sharma is very hard to stop.
Abhishek Sharma’s Match-Winning 135*
Sharma played one of the best innings of IPL 2026.
| Runs | Balls | Fours | Sixes | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 135* | 68 | 10 | 10 | 198.5 |
He also built a strong opening partnership with Travis Head.
| Partnership | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Head & Sharma | 97 | 53 |
This partnership gave SRH a perfect start.
Aaron Finch Praises Sharma’s Style
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch also appreciated Sharma’s batting.
- He highlighted Sharma’s ability to play shots all around the ground
- He praised his timing and smooth bat swing
- He said Sharma can generate big power without being a big-built player
Finch also noted that Sharma has been consistent this season.
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Match Summary: SRH vs DC
Sunrisers Hyderabad dominated the match against Delhi Capitals.
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| SRH | 242/— (20 overs) |
| DC | 195 all out |
Key performances:
- Nitish Rana scored 57 runs
- Sameer Rizvi added 41 runs
- Eshan Malinga took 4 wickets for SRH
SRH won the match comfortably.
Points Table Update
| Team | Matches | Wins | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRH | 7 | 4 | 3rd |
| DC | 6 | 3 | 5th |
SRH moved up in the standings after this win.
Abhishek Sharma IPL 2026 Stats
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 323 | 53.83 | 215.33 | 1 | 2 |
His numbers show how dominant he has been this season.
Conclusion
Abhishek Sharma’s performance has made him one of the most exciting players in IPL 2026. Comparisons with Chris Gayle show how impactful his batting can be on good pitches.
If he continues this form, he could become one of the biggest match-winners for Sunrisers Hyderabad this season.
