Abhishek Sharma Advised to Strengthen Mental Game Ahead of IPL 2026 Season: 'There Will Be Pressure'

Former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers wants explosive opener Abhishek Sharma to overcome his mental challenges before stepping into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season with the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Abhishek Sharma is coming off a challenging outing in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The Indian opener delivered when the team needed him, but he missed out on bringing his trademark explosive intent to action.

Calls Grow for Abhishek Sharma to Resolve Mental Issues Ahead of the IPL 2026 Season

Before the IPL 2026 kicks off, AB de Villiers wants Abhishek Sharma to confound his mental challenges. He believes the Indian opener is expected to take up greater responsibility and also face media pressure.

De Villiers further highlighted his performance in the IPL 2025 as impressive but erratic, pointing out that consistency remains his biggest personal and mental challenge.

“He’s 25, not 20 anymore. So, this is definitely the phase where he has to start taking more responsibility. There will be media pressure and people asking him to become more consistent. We know he was a little inconsistent during the T20 World Cup, which was disappointing. He had a good finish in the final, but otherwise, it was a quiet tournament for him.

"He was erratic at times. He had an unbelievable IPL 2025, scoring close to a 200 strike-rate and averaging in the 30s, which is good for an opening batter scoring over 400 runs in the tournament, but it could have been better. Once again, that word consistency comes to mind. It’s a personal challenge he will have to overcome mentally," AB de Villiers said during an appearance on JioStar.

Also Read: CSK's Bowling Stock Takes Major Hit As Injury Forces Nathan Ellis To Sit Out Of IPL 2026: Report

Abhishek Sharma Announced As Vice Captain For SRH In IPL 2026

As Abhishek Sharma gears up for the IPL 2026 season, he has received an enormous challenge. The Sunrisers Hyderabad has announced the Indian opener as its vice-captain for the upcoming season.  

Also Read: Delhi Capitals Well-Balanced, Going With A 'Winning Mentality' In IPL 2026: Ashutosh Sharma

SRH also announced that skipper Pat Cummins would miss some of the team's IPL fixtures as he recovers from an injury. In his absence, Ishan Kishan will be at the helm for the one-time IPL champions.