Yograj Singh has taken a sharp dig at young stars Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, blaming their on-field struggles on distractions caused by social media. Known for his outspoken views, Yograj criticised the growing reels culture among cricketers, suggesting it is affecting their focus and discipline, stressing that players must prioritise training over online engagement. Abhishek and Gill will be busy over the next two months with the Indian Premier League (IPL), representing Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT), respectively.
However, they haven’t exactly been in the best of form of late, which seems to be the reason behind the criticism.
Yograj Singh On Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill
Speaking with InsideSport, Yograj Singh, father of former T20 and ODI World Cup winner, Yuvraj Singh, and himself a former Indian cricketer, said this:
“You fail because your mind is somewhere else. What is happening to Shubman Gill and Abhishek? The failure comes only when your mind is diverted somewhere else. That is what is happening with Abhishek. The guy walks around doing reels; that isn’t his job. He should bloody well go to bed at 9 PM and wake up at 5 PM and play a thousand balls,”
Abhishek-Gill’s T20 Woes
Abhishek Sharma had been a force to reckon with in T20s for the last year, but lost his form when the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 kicked-off. He got out for three consecutive ducks, and saw a string of low scores afterwards.
Thankfully for India, he managed to find his balance in the final against New Zealand, striking the fastest half-century of the tournament, and propelling the team towards a hefty total.
Shubman Gill, on the the other hand, continues to search for consistency in the shortest format. Despite being named India’s T20 vice-captain, he struggled to make an impact with the bat.
His prolonged lean patch ultimately led to his omission from the squad ahead of the World Cup, and he now heads into the IPL looking to deliver and re-establish his credentials.
