Raina questions Abhishek Sharma’s Test cricket focus

Suresh Raina has expressed his view that opening batter Abhishek Sharma should be playing Test cricket for India. The former India player raised concerns about whether the focus on shorter formats is affecting young cricketers’ opportunities in the longest version of the game.

He questioned the role of IPL team owners and state associations in shaping players’ career paths and their approach to red-ball cricket.

“I feel Abhishek Sharma should play Test cricket. Vaibhav is very young. Does he want to play? What do his coaches think? These are questions. I feel he should play. Are the IPL owners and associations also thinking of this and putting Test cricket in players’ minds? Coaches also have a role here,” Raina said on Aakash Chopra’s YouTube channel.

Abhishek Sharma’s first-class record

Raina’s remarks highlight broader questions about how young Indian cricketers are being developed and whether institutional structures are adequately supporting red-ball cricket. The former player emphasised that both players and their coaching teams need to be aligned on pursuing the Test format.

Abhishek Sharma has accumulated 1,071 runs across 24 first-class matches and 37 innings at an average of 30.60, striking at 70.46. The batter has scored one century and five fifties in the format. Beyond batting, Sharma has also contributed with the ball, taking 20 wickets in first-class cricket at an average exceeding 49, with his best bowling figures standing at 4 for 136.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s domestic and youth performances

Raina also addressed the case of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, questioning whether the young player and his coaching staff are ready for Test cricket at this stage. Sooryavanshi has featured in 10 first-class matches and 15 innings, accumulating 347 runs at an average of 23.13 with a strike rate of 96.38. The teenager has scored two fifties in first-class cricket, with a highest score of 93.

Sooryavanshi’s recent performances in domestic cricket have drawn attention. He scored 92 and 40 for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final, demonstrating his ability at the domestic level. In India Under-19 Tests, Sooryavanshi has amassed 331 runs across 10 innings in six matches at an average of 33.10, with a strike rate exceeding 136, including two centuries and one fifty.

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