Abhishek Sharma could be the next Indian white-ball star to be encouraged towards Test cricket after former India batter Suresh Raina backed him for the longest format. Raina believes the explosive left-hander has the ability to expand his game beyond T20 cricket and should consider making a serious push for red-ball cricket.
The discussion comes at a time when India are closely monitoring young players who could become part of their long-term Test setup. While teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is already getting an opportunity to play first-class cricket in the Duleep Trophy, Abhishek has largely remained focused on white-ball cricket. His last first-class appearance came in February 2024 for Punjab against Tamil Nadu in Salem.
Suresh Raina has urged Abhishek Sharma to consider Test cricket and believes coaches, franchises and state associations can play an important role in encouraging young players to develop their red-ball game.
Abhishek Sharma has established himself as one of India's most destructive T20 batters and has also developed into a useful left-arm spinner. His ability to attack from the top of the order makes him an attractive long-term option, but the move to Test cricket would require him to return to regular first-class cricket first. Speaking on Aakash Chopra's YouTube channel, Raina said:
"I feel Abhishek Sharma should play Test cricket. Vaibhav is very young. Does he want to play? What do his coaches think? These are questions. I feel he should play. Are the IPL owners and associations also thinking of this and putting Test cricket in players' minds? Coaches also have a role here," Raina said.
Abhishek Sharma's First-class stats
Abhishek Sharma has played 24 first-class matches, scoring 1,071 runs in 37 innings. He averages 30.60, with a highest score of 100. His record includes one century and five fifties, showing that he has already produced substantial contributions in the format despite not playing a first-class game since February 2024.
His strike rate in first-class cricket stands at 70.46, with 131 fours and 30 sixes. Those numbers highlight the attacking approach that has also become a major part of his T20 game.
The Punjab all-rounder has contributed with the ball as well. He has bowled in 27 first-class innings, delivering 1,674 balls and taking 20 wickets at an average of 49.10. His best figures are 4/136, while his economy rate is 3.51.
BattingFCMatches24Innings37Runs1,071Highest100Average30.60100s150s5Strike Rate70.46Suresh Raina's First-class and Test stats
Raina has considerably more red-ball experience than Abhishek Sharma, having played 109 first-class matches and accumulated 6,871 runs. He averaged 42.15 and registered 14 centuries and 45 fifties during his first-class career.
For India, Raina played 18 Tests and scored 768 runs at an average of 26.48. His highest score was 120, while he made one century and seven fifties.
Raina also contributed occasionally with the ball. He took 41 wickets in first-class cricket and 13 wickets in Tests, with a best Test bowling performance of 2/1.
FormatMatchesRunsAverage100s50sTests1876826.4817First-class1096,87142.151445Raina's call gives Abhishek Sharma another reason to consider a return to first-class cricket. If he does decide to pursue the longer format, regular appearances for Punjab would be the natural starting point before any discussion about India selection.
Also Read: Ex-Pakistan cricketer compares Shafali Verma with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma
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