Du Plessis Likens Abhishek Sharma to Chris Gayle After Unbeaten 135 Against Delhi

Faf du Plessis has described Abhishek Sharma as a bully on flat pitches after the left-hander’s remarkable century against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026.

The innings

On April 21 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Abhishek struck an unbeaten 135 off 68 balls, with 10 fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 198.53. It lifted Sunrisers Hyderabad to 242 for 2, and Delhi, restricted to 195 for 9, lost by 47 runs.

Praise from commentary

Reacting to the knock, du Plessis called it unbelievable batsmanship and said the power was back. On a night with nothing in the pitch for bowlers, he said, Abhishek looks elite, and on a flat track is almost like Chris Gayle, the legendary West Indies batter.

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch also admired the innings, calling Abhishek’s timing and power ridiculous for a batter without a strong physical build.

Bouncing back from the World Cup

Abhishek had struggled for form at the 2026 T20 World Cup but was backed by the Indian team management under Gautam Gambhir. He responded with a match-winning half-century in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, helping India win their third T20 World Cup title. He has carried that form into the IPL.