“Uninstall Social Media Right Now”: Abhishek Sharma Reveals Blunt Advice from Gambhir and Suryakumar

Indian opening batter Abhishek Sharma has shed light on the rigorous mental conditioning required at the highest level of international cricket, revealing direct intervention from head coach Gautam Gambhir, T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya during a lean patch in his batting form.

Managing the Weight of Expectations

Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Sharma recounted the intense public scrutiny that accompanies a spot in the Indian national team. After registering a string of low scores early in his international career, the 24-year-old admitted to struggling with the external noise and online criticism.

The turning point arrived when the team’s senior leadership stepped in with immediate, non-negotiable instructions to protect his mental framework.

“Slowly you get used to it. But it does feel bad when there is criticism. That is going to happen in India because people have a lot of expectations from you,” Sharma stated. “Surya, GG sir, and Hardik Pandya came to me and said, ‘Phone pakad, social media hata abhi ke abhi’ [take your phone and uninstall social media right now]. That was the first thing I did.”

Fact-Check: Sharma’s Actual T20I Trajectory

While unverified rumors and speculative narratives have incorrectly placed Sharma’s batting struggles in a fictitious T20 World Cup 2026 scenario, his actual developmental curve played out across recent bilateral series in 2024. Following a highly successful Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sharma earned his maiden national call-up for the T20I series against Zimbabwe in July 2024.

His introduction to international cricket was volatile. After being dismissed for a duck in his debut innings, he responded emphatically the very next day with a 47-ball century. However, subsequent series against Bangladesh and South Africa yielded a challenging run of single-digit scores, prompting the vital intervention from the team management.

Key Takeaways from the Leadership Intervention

• Mental Isolation: Removing social media applications eliminates algorithmic exposure to toxic fan reactions and unverified criticism.
• Focus on Process: Gambhir’s coaching philosophy heavily prioritizes player mindset over immediate statistical returns.
• Senior Support: The combined presence of the head coach, captain, and vice-captain highlights the structured support system within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) setup.

Statistical Overview: Bouncing Back

Sharma’s ability to absorb the advice and block out external noise eventually paid dividends. During the November 2024 series against South Africa, he broke a streak of low scores by attacking the pacers in the powerplay, registering a match-defining half-century at Centurion.

A look at his defining early T20I performances validates the management’s continued investment in his aggressive approach:

For verified player statistics and official match records, fans and analysts routinely consult platforms like ESPNcricinfo and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Sharma’s trajectory underscores the reality of modern cricket: raw talent must be paired with psychological resilience. The prompt action by Gambhir and Yadav ensured that one of India’s most promising top-order prospects remained focused on his primary objective—scoring runs at an elite strike rate—rather than battling online detractors.