At a promotional event in Mumbai on Friday, October 30, former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh spoke at length about young opener Abhishek Sharma, expressing confidence that the left-hander has the qualities to one day lead the Indian side. Yuvraj also called on the BCCI to hand Abhishek and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi greater opportunities in ODI cricket.
Yuvraj, who played a coaching role in Abhishek's development during the COVID-19 lockdown period, said that the latter has the qualities of being an excellent leader, which could help his case as the future captain for the Men in Blue.
"Well, it’s too early to say whether he [Abhishek Sharma] has the makings of a captain, but I feel he has all the qualities of a leader. I think he encourages the younger guys in state cricket as well. I love the way he encourages Sooryavanshi, puts his hand on his shoulder and motivates him. I think that’s a good sign of a senior leader, whatever you want to call it," Yuvraj said as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Abhishek has been part of India's white-ball setup through notable campaigns, including the 2026 T20 World Cup-winning squad and the 2025 Asia Cup squad. He also became the youngest Indian to reach the number one ranking in the T20I format in 2025, underlining the rapid rise that has drawn comparisons with some of the country's most celebrated white-ball players.
Why does Yuvraj believe captaining an IPL side matters for leading India?
Yuvraj made a pointed observation about the pathway to the India captaincy, arguing that leading at the IPL level is a necessary step for any player who harbours ambitions of captaining the national side. He noted that the experience of handling a franchise in the high-pressure environment of the IPL builds the kind of confidence required to manage an international dressing room.
"If you want to captain India one day, I think it’s important to captain your IPL side. That gives you the kind of confidence you need to lead India. I’m sure time will tell whether he is capable of doing it. If it’s in his destiny, I’m sure he’ll get the opportunity. If not, then so be it. But I’m sure he’ll finish as a great white-ball player, whether he becomes captain or not," the legendary India cricketer added.
That context made his earlier frustration over Abhishek's IPL 2026 situation all the more relevant. Sunrisers Hyderabad did not hand Abhishek the captaincy ahead of the 2026 season despite him having performed for the franchise for seven to eight years. Ishan Kishan was instead named as the stand-in captain, a decision Yuvraj had publicly criticised in April 2026.
