Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja has showered praise on a star Indian cricketer after the left-handed opener lit up the first T20I against England with a breathtaking half-century. While young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi has recently been nicknamed the ‘Boss Baby’ by fans, Jadeja believes the Punjab batter deserves that title as well, insisting the opener has been playing fearless cricket long before the teenager burst onto the scene. His attacking 59 off just 24 deliveries gave India early momentum in the series opener at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday, July 1. Although persistent rain eventually washed out England’s chase, the opener’s entertaining innings emerged as one of the biggest talking points from the contest.
Star opener impresses with blazing knock in rain-hit first T20I against England
India suffered a disastrous start after opting to bat first, slipping to 6/2 inside the opening overs. With the visitors under pressure, Abhishek Sharma counterattacked in spectacular fashion, refusing to allow England’s bowlers to dictate terms. The aggressive opener struck six boundaries and four towering sixes during his 24-ball stay, putting the pressure firmly back on the hosts. Rather than playing cautiously after the early wickets, Abhishek trusted his natural game and dismantled the bowling attack with clean hitting all around the ground.
His innings also highlighted his growing maturity in the shortest format. While the boundaries came regularly, the timing and effortless nature of his strokeplay stood out, making his innings appear even more dominant than the scorecard suggested. Abhishek’s fearless approach ensured India recovered quickly from their early setback and laid the platform for a competitive total.
Ajay Jadeja reveals the ‘Boss Baby’ of the Indian team
Speaking during a discussion on Sony Sports after the match, Jadeja was full of admiration for Abhishek’s batting style and consistency in maintaining his aggressive mindset. He remarked that although Suryavanshi has recently become associated with the nickname ‘Boss Baby,’ Abhishek has embodied that fearless brand of cricket for much longer.
“We were talking about the Boss Baby. He is our old Boss Baby. Since the time he came, he has maintained the same approach. The good thing is that the approach hasn’t changed at all. In his batting, it doesn’t even seem like he is applying force to hit fours and sixes. The flow is so good,” Jadeja said on Sony Sports.
The former India batter particularly appreciated the effortless nature of Abhishek’s power-hitting, noting that the left-hander never appears to muscle the ball despite clearing the boundary with remarkable ease. Jadeja’s comments underline the reputation Abhishek has built over the last few years as one of India’s most naturally aggressive T20 batters, capable of changing the course of a match within a handful of overs.
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