Asia Cup | From childhood playmates to India teammates, Abhishek-Gill duo has come a long way

It could be a silly joke that they are guffawing over, a serious discussion about cricket or just figuring out where they should have the next meal.

But seldom do Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill seem to leave each other’s side at India’s training sessions in the Asia Cup.

Theirs is a friendship that has grown organically ever since they first crossed paths at the under-12 level as aspiring cricketers in their home State of Punjab. Their careers have largely intertwined after that first meeting, rising up the ranks through all the age groups in Punjab and then featuring for a victorious Indian outfit in the 2018 under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.

While Gill was already touted for big things by then and made his international debut a year later, it would have been a stretch to think both would be opening the batting together for the national team.

But here they are, taking guard at the top of the order in India’s 20-over side a few months away from the 2026 T20 World Cup. Abhishek did open alongside Gill in a five-match series against Zimbabwe in Harare last year, but that was as part of a second-string team.

“They are feeling very good about opening the batting together. They first met at the u-12 stage. They have been playing together for Punjab from the u-14 group,” Rajkumar, Abhishek’s father and coach, told The Hindu on Wednesday.

“At u-14s, they used to be together all the time. They would sleep in the same room. They just had a lot of tuning. Along with the bonding, they are able to grasp match situations in a similar way and know how to win games. Going ahead, I hope they do that for India as a pair.”

So far, the signs have been encouraging. In India’s two victories at the continental event, their partnerships, although small in quantity, have been rapid and allowed Suryakumar Yadav’s men to race to meagre targets with the ease they would have desired. When sterner challenges follow in the Super Four phase, they are certainly well-equipped to produce larger contributions.

The styles of the two suggest that the left-handed Abhishek will take the ultra-aggressive route while Gill will be more flexible to the game scenario. “Depending on the state of the match, they will play,” Rajkumar added. “Both can defend one ball and hit the same type of delivery for a six. That is their ability”.