Young Indian opener Abhishek Sharma's candid and surprised reaction to Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood's withdrawal from the remainder of the five-match T20I series has captured the imagination of cricket fans worldwide, going viral across social media platforms. The moment unfolded during the post-match press conference following India's narrow four-wicket defeat to Australia in the second T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 31, 2025, handing the hosts a 1-0 lead after the rain-abandoned opener in Canberra.

Hazlewood, the 34-year-old pace spearhead, had starred with a match-winning spell of 3/13 in four overs, dismantling India's top order by dismissing Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma early to restrict them to 125 all out. Adjudged Player of the Match, Hazlewood's exit paves the way for his preparation for the Ashes series starting November 21, including domestic Sheffield Shield commitments to regain red-ball rhythm. Abhishek, who top-scored with a brisk 68 off 37 balls—featuring eight fours and two sixes—provided the lone resistance amid the collapse, showcasing his aggressive intent against world-class bowling.

Caught off guard by a reporter's question about Hazlewood's absence from the upcoming matches in Hobart, Guwahati, and Raipur, Abhishek paused, wide-eyed, before quipping, "Oh, is he? I didn't know that!" He quickly recovered, blending admiration with competitive fire: "I mean, he is good enough to play all the formats. But still, I was enjoying this challenge because somehow as a batter, you have to face the world-class bowlers." Reflecting on Hazlewood's precision, the 24-year-old southpaw from Punjab admitted being in awe, noting, "I think as a batter, I was watching him in the ODIs as well. So somehow we knew that he's going to give us this much difficulty... The way he bowled today, even I got surprised. I haven't seen something like this in T20s."

Abhishek emphasised his desire to dominate but acknowledged the learning curve: "I'm a batter that wants to dominate, but when I was seeing how he's bowling... it seems like he had a plan, and he was just executing it." The clip, shared widely by outlets like cricket.com.au and BCCI's official channels, has amassed millions of views, with fans praising the youngster's humility and hunger for big battles. This viral exchange highlights the mutual respect in the India-Australia rivalry, often dubbed the "ultimate contest" in cricket, where young talents like Abhishek—currently the world's No. 1 ranked T20I batter—thrive under pressure from veterans like Hazlewood, who boasts 148 international wickets at an economy rate under seven in T20Is.

Coming off a stellar year with a 196.07 strike rate in T20Is and leading the Asia Cup batting charts, Abhishek's fearless approach has drawn comparisons to legends like Virender Sehwag, especially after his explosive starts neutralised threats in the ODI leg of the tour. India captain Suryakumar Yadav echoed the sentiment post-match, bluntly stating Abhishek "took on Josh Hazlewood very well" amid the chaos, underscoring the opener's growing stature in a team transitioning post-Rohit Sharma era.

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Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar had even predicted pre-series: "If Abhishek Sharma is in form, Josh Hazlewood will be out," a prophecy that rang true in glimpses despite the loss. Australia chased down the target comfortably, led by Mitchell Marsh's 46 and Travis Head's 28, sealing victory with 40 balls to spare and exposing India's middle-order frailties on a lively MCG pitch.

As the series pivots to the third T20I in Hobart on November 2, India—led by Suryakumar—will aim to level scores without Hazlewood's menace, potentially rotating in fresh legs like Harshit Rana, who chipped in with 35 down the order in Melbourne. Abhishek's reaction not only lightens the mood in a high-stakes tour but also symbolises the sport's essence: relishing rivalries that forge better players. With the series at stake and eyes on the World T20 next year, his words serve as a rallying cry for Indian fans, blending disappointment with optimism in true cricketing spirit.

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