On the eve of the World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Rajkumar Sharma stood quietly in the stands, watching a handful of Indian players undergo their final drills. His presence was more than just parental support; it was part of a mission to support his son, Abhishek Sharma, who had entered the tournament’s climax, battling a persistent slump in form. Abhishek began the tournament with three consecutive ducks followed with scores of 15, 55, 10 and 9 before the final. However, Sharma Sr’s faith was vindicated in spectacular fashion on Sunday as Abhishek dismantled the New Zealand bowling attack with a stellar fifty (21-ball 52, 6x4s, 3x6s), which didn’t just set up India’s title prospects, but also signalled the resurgence of a player many had written off. 

“I knew Abhishek’s game shines brightest under pressure,” Rajkumar Sharma told reporters after the win. Having coached Abhishek since childhood, Rajkumar identified some of his technical glitches during the final practice session.  “I shared a few specific adjustments during practice, and fortunately the mathematics worked out on the big stage,” he added.