'He was very happy when I got out for 0': Abhishek Sharma video calls Yuvraj Singh after maiden T20I century for India

Abhishek Sharma has become the toast of the nation following a belligerent hundred against Zimbabwe in the 2nd T20I at Harare on Sunday. Coming off a duck on his debut, Abhishek went berserk, smashing the joint third-fastest century by an Indian in T20Is, setting the platform for India's crushing 100-run win over the hosts. Abhishek, 23, smashed a plethora of records en route to scoring a 46-ball ton after a roller coaster 48 hours of his life, during which he received his India cap, was out for a 0, crunched a 100 and was named Player of the Match.

After the game, Abhishek made a couple of special video calls – one to his family back home in India and another to his mentor Yuvraj Singh in England. Yuvraj, who's played a pivotal role in his career, is currently in England captaining the India Champions in the World Championship of Legends League, but the two-time World Cup winner picked up Abhishek's call and showered his protégé with praises: "Very proud! Well done, very proud. You deserve it. Many more to come. This is just the start."

Watch the clip below:

Abhishek, however, revealed that while this was a very special moment for him, Yuvraj was 'very happy' that the 23-year-old was dismissed without troubling the scorers in the first T20I on Saturday.

Yuvraj Singh happy with Abhishek Sharma's duck

"I spoke to him yesterday as well. I don't know why but he was very happy when I got out for 0. He was like, 'That's a good start', but I think he must be feeling very proud, just like my family. It's all because of him. The hard work he has put in me for years. He has been working really hard on everything; I wouldn't say it's just on cricket. Off the field as well."

The fact that the next game was less than 24 hours after the first aided Abhishek in regrouping from his failure on the first T20I. From the moment he dispatched the second ball of the Indian innings for six, Abhishek went on a rampage, smashing 8 sixes and 7 fours. Dropped in the seventh over and escaping with a DRS respite in the 12th, Abhishek inflicted ruthless carnage, smoking a hat-trick of sixes to bring up his century. It was just the knock the world is used to expecting from Abhishek. Who can forget his heroics for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL – 484 runs – or in Punjab's title-winning campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he scored 485 runs?

"The positive was that we didn't have much time to think about the next game because it was the next day. The moment I felt that there was a bowler I could go after, I tried it. I was in a flow so I just wanted to go out there and express myself. I spoke to Rutu [Ruturaj Gaikwad] as well. He told me the same thing. 'Go after whatever is in your arc. Don't worry much about balls'," added Abhishek.