Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra lauded Abhishek Sharma for his match-winning half-century in the first T20I against New Zealand. He highlighted two key attributes that make the left-handed opener special. Abhishek scored a blistering 84 off 35 deliveries as India set New Zealand a daunting target of 239 in Nagpur on Wednesday, January 21.

India restricted the Black Caps to 190/7, securing a 48-run win and taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Chopra specifically praised Abhishek’s ability to take on the new-ball bowlers, regardless of the line or length they bowled.

"How well he plays. He hits sixes so easily. Two things make him extremely special. One is, where will a bowler bowl with the new ball? He keeps six players on the off side, keeps a slip, and looks for swing. So he will bowl outside the off-stump only, on the fourth to sixth stump," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

"He will bowl either full or short, but keep it on that side only. He (Abhishek) goes over cover or hits straight sixes. Then the bowler comes around the stumps and tries to bowl on the body. He plays well on that side in any case. So the fact that he can play so well on the off side constantly and can consistently hit such good sixes, you have to doff your hat," he added.

Chopra noted that Abhishek also possesses the ability to clear the boundary against spin without leaving his crease. The cricketer-turned-commentator agreed with Sunil Gavaskar’s assessment that the destructive opener is more than just an X-factor for India.

"Then comes spin. What will a spinner do? A spinner tries to bowl full so that he doesn't get hit for sixes off the back foot. He tries to keep the ball within the three stumps so that he is not swept much, but once again, Abhishek Sharma hits straight sixes while standing in his position," said Chopra.

"Then if you come slightly on his body, he hits on the leg side.

He is absolutely stellar. So one should clap for him. If he remains in this form, he is the guy. We called him the X-factor and Sunny ji said he is X, Y, Z, and all factors. I will say yes, sir. He is that kind of a player," he added.