De Villiers tells Abhishek Sharma not to suffocate under pressure, points to Virat Kohli’s process: 'Embrace & love it'

With Abhishek Sharma under increasing pressure, AB de Villiers pointed to the need to shut out the noise and focus on his own game.

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru great AB de Villiers has urged Abhishek Sharma to draw lessons from Virat Kohli as he looks to find consistency again. Abhishek was in blazing touch before the T20 World Cup but endured an up-and-down campaign, even though he signed off with a valuable fifty in the final. His issues against off-spin, however, stood out and went unnoticed. With the IPL around the corner, teams are likely to target that weakness, making it a key area he will need to address quickly if he wants to stay ahead of the curve. He will also have an added responsibility of vice-captaincy in the initial phase of IPL 2026, with Pat Cummins still recovering from injury and Ishan Kishan taking over the charge.

Abhishek Sharma will be entering the IPL under some pressure. (PTI)

With Abhishek under increasing pressure, De Villiers pointed to the need to shut out the noise and focus on his own game. He referred to RCB icon Virat Kohli’s approach over the years, noting how regular self-assessment helped him deal with challenging phases and stay on track.

"When you are feeling the pressure externally, you just have to keep working on your own game. That's one of the things I saw in Virat in all those years. He would constantly analyse his own game, and that's where Abhishek is at now," De Villiers said on Star Sports.

Abhishek endured an inconsistent 2026 T20 World Cup, finishing with 141 runs from eight games at an average of 17.62. He did register a couple of fifties, notably one of which came in the final, but found it tough to build momentum, with spin posing a recurring challenge throughout the campaign.

“Go back to the nets and be that child again”

Continuing on the same theme, De Villiers underlined the need for Abhishek to change how he views pressure. He suggested that instead of feeling weighed down, the young batter should embrace it, reconnect with his love for the game, and use that freedom to rediscover his best form.

"Don't suffocate because of the pressure. Instead, embrace it and love it. Go back to the nets and be that child again, who loves the game and has passion for it, to figure out new things about yourself. If he has that kind of mindset, he is going to be just fine," he added.