Sharma belongs to that rare breed of batsmen who have the innate gift of timing and appear to have ample time before playing the ball. Yet, in spite of these qualities, Sharma has been unable to do his talent justice and seal his berth in the Indian side.

A part of the victorious Indian 2007 World T20 squad, Sharma’s breakthrough knock was an innings of 66 in the first CB series final in Australia in early 2008. But Sharma has struggled to translate that initial promise into something more consistent. He often gets out just when the stage is set for him to play that vital innings that will cement his place in the side.

Sharma’s IPL record, however, is more complimentary. He was the leading run-scorer for the Deccan Chargers in the tournament’s inaugural edition. His consistency in this format fetched him a whopping USD 2 million from the Mumbai Indians at the IPL Player Auction, 2011.