- Abhishek Sharma’s Punjabi rhyme amused Gambhir, entertained teammates.
- He urged team to learn, improve for New Zealand series.
- India defeated New Zealand in high-scoring T20I chase.
Gautam Gambhir is rarely seen breaking his serious demeanour in the middle of cricket preparations, but Abhishek Sharma found a way to do just that. A video from India’s team talk before the opening T20I against New Zealand shows the young opener delivering a Punjabi rhyme that left the head coach smiling and his teammates amused.
The light-hearted moment came as India prepared to begin the five-match series after drawing their previous T20I series against the West Indies 2-2. Abhishek used the address to remind his teammates of the need to learn from past mistakes, raise their standards and carry their confidence into the New Zealand contest.
WATCH: Abhishek Sharma’s Punjabi Boli Steals The Show
Abhishek’s speech took an unexpected turn when he broke into a traditional Punjabi verse. The opener said, “Bari Barsi Khatan Gaya Si, Khatke Leanda Hand,” repeating the line before urging the team to get off to a winning start in New Zealand.
WATCH VIDEO
🗣️ 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 Abhishek Sharma‘s fiery huddle speech set the tone 🔥 #TeamIndia backed it up with a clinical victory 💪 #NZvIND | @OfficialAbhi04 https://t.co/DAu4PDiUdw
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 23, 2026
The rhyme changed the mood in the room. Players could be seen smiling and laughing as Abhishek delivered his lines, with Gambhir among those visibly entertained by the moment. The head coach, usually known for his stern expression around the team, could not hide his amusement.
The clip offered a glimpse of the lighter side of India’s dressing-room environment, with Abhishek combining a message about performance with a touch of Punjabi humour. His central message, however, was serious: India needed to take lessons from the West Indies series and bring their best cricket to the new assignment.
India Turn Team Talk Into A Winning Start
India eventually gave Abhishek’s pre-match words a strong finish on the field, defeating New Zealand in a high-scoring first T20I. Chasing 226, the hosts crossed the target with two balls remaining to complete a four-wicket victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Sanju Samson led the chase with 67 off 33 balls, while Shreyas Iyer contributed 42 from 28 deliveries. Naman Dhir then struck an unbeaten 42 off just 15 balls to help India finish the job under pressure.
New Zealand had posted 225/4, powered by Glenn Phillips’ unbeaten 82 off 40 deliveries. Finn Allen’s 45 and Bevon Jacobs’ 31 had also helped the visitors put up a formidable total, but India’s batting depth proved decisive.
The result gave India a winning start to the series, while Abhishek’s Punjabi verse supplied one of the more memorable moments from the team’s preparations.
