 "Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a golden duck in second ODI against Australia A. Image: Reuters")
Abhishek Sharma was India’s brightest star at the Asia Cup 2025, where he finished as the highest run-scorer and helped his team win the trophy for the record 9th time. The young left-hander smashed 314 runs in the tournament at a strike rate of 200, providing explosive starts at the top in all but one game. This performance earned him a call-up to the India A squad for an unofficial ODI series against Australia A.
Abhishek struggles in ODI
However, things did not go well for Abhishek in the second unofficial ODI. After missing the first match because of personal commitments, he was included in the last two games of the series. Fans expected him to carry his Asia Cup form into the 50-over game, but he has struggled. In the second match at Kanpur, he was dismissed for a golden duck.
Facing Jack Edwards, Abhishek tried an attacking drive but edged it to first slip, where Will Sutherland took the catch. The Indian opener is known for his aggressive style of play, as seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and T20 internationals. However, Abhishek failed to replicate his form in one-dayers and was dismissed for a duck in the second game.
Abhishek will be hoping to make an impact in the final game of the series. He opened the innings with Prabhsimran Singh, replacing Priyansh Arya, who had scored a century in the previous match. There have been reports that the BCCI is seriously considering Abhishek as an option for India in ODIs amid rumours of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s retirement from the format.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is currently playing the Test series against West Indies, is also a strong contender for the position. He debuted for India in February this year and played just one match against England ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. However, due to the presence of Rohit and Kohli, and the inclusion of Shubman Gill ahead of him, he was forced to sit out.