'We immediately think of Chris Gayle': Pujara's big statement on Abhishek Sharma

When Abhishek Sharma gets going, bowlers often find it difficult to stop him. The left-handed batter is known for his big sixes, aggressive start and ability to change a match within a few overs. Abhishek once again showed his hitting ability in the third T20I against the West Indies.

He smashed 69 off just 30 balls to help India register a 14-run victory and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.His innings included six fours and five sixes. He reached his half-century in just 18 balls, registering his 14th T20I fifty.

The performance earned praise from former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who compared Abhishek's ability in the shortest format to that of West Indies great Chris Gayle.

Pujara compares Abhishek Sharma with Chris Gayle

Pujara believes Abhishek has already established himself as one of India's best T20 players.

He also said the young batter's name would be remembered for a long time.“Nobody thought that he would cross such a big milestone so quickly. But the way Abhishek has performed, I think he is probably one of the best T20 players the Indian team has had so far,” said Pujara on JioStar.Pujara then compared Abhishek with Gayle, who was known for his explosive batting in T20 cricket. He also praised Abhishek for showing greater maturity and understanding when to attack.

“His name will be remembered for a long time. When we talk about the T20 format, we immediately think of Chris Gayle from the West Indies. Abhishek has that kind of ability. The way he showed maturity, especially in Indore, by taking a little time, even though five-six balls is a lot of time for him, shows that he is understanding his game a little better, recognising the opposition’s strengths, and batting accordingly.

Now, in Hyderabad, he has played a lot on that ground, and that experience and familiarity matter, even in T20s,” Pujara said.

Abhishek crosses 2,000 T20I runs

The third T20I against the West Indies was another milestone match for Abhishek. He became the sixth Indian men's cricketer to score 2,000 runs in T20 internationals. He also became the fastest batter in men's cricket to reach the milestone in terms of balls faced.At Holkar Stadium in Indore, Abhishek scored his 69 runs off 30 balls at a strike rate of 230.

His aggressive start helped India post 223 runs, even though the team lost some momentum after his partnership with Ishan Kishan.The West Indies managed 209/7 in reply, giving India a 14-run victory. The win put India ahead 2-1 in the series. Another victory in the fourth T20I on Wednesday would secure the series for the hosts.

India's sixth batter to join the 2,000-run club

Abhishek has scored 2,036 runs in 65 T20Is and 64 innings at an average of 32.83 and a strike rate of 195.95.

His record includes three centuries and 14 half-centuries, with a highest score of 135 not out.

The other five Indian players to cross 2,000 T20I runs are:

Abhishek continues impressive run in 2026

Abhishek has continued to score heavily in 2026 despite a few setbacks. He has made 921 runs in 32 matches and innings at an average of 29.70 and a strike rate of 206.50. His tally includes one century and eight half-centuries. His score of 108 is the fastest T20I century by a batter from a Test-playing nation.

Abhishek has also hit 68 sixes in T20Is this year, putting him level with India's T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav for the most sixes in a calendar year.However, Abhishek has hit a six every 6.55 balls, compared to Suryakumar's one every 9.13 balls.It was the seventh time he had scored a fifty within the first six overs of a T20I. No other batter has achieved the feat more than twice. His latest performance has further highlighted his ability to put opposition bowlers under pressure and give India a strong start in T20 cricket.