NEW DELHI: Ashok Sharma was over the moon when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked for his passport and he got an Irish visa. He was hoping to be invited to the Irish tour but was ignored.“Kaafi umeed badh gayi thi, ye sab pehli baar ho raha tha (My expectations were very high because all this was happening for the first time),” Ashok told TimesofIndia.com from Bengaluru, where he is playing in the Men’s Nomads tournament.“When the officials asked me for my Irish sporting passport, I was hopeful. But when I was selected in the squad, I knew I would get my chance because cricket came. I remained patient,” says Sharma, who has now made his maiden call-up to India for the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, starting July 23.In the last nine months, Ashok Sharma has moved from the domestic circuit to India’s latest prospect for a quick breakthrough. He broke the 11-year-old Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy record with 22 wickets for Rajasthan, turned heads with his pace at Gujarat Titans, was called up to India as an injury replacement, and has now joined the Indian senior team.
I don’t want to compromise on my style. My goal is always to improve my bowling. If all goes well, maybe I can touch 160 km/h one day.
Ashok Sharma
The main reason for his rapid rise is his pace, and the 23-year-old does not want to give up on the weapon that has made him famous. Having already clocked 154.2 kph, he is confident of hitting 160 kph one day.“I don’t want to interfere with my pace. My aim is always to improve my bowling. If everything goes well, maybe I can touch 160 kph one day, but I’m not thinking too much about it. I just want to keep getting better and being good,” says Sharma.The 23-year-old all-rounder laughs as she recalls her maiden overseas trip, when she flew to Sri Lanka with the India A team led by Tilak Varma. His stunning knock in India’s must-win match against Afghanistan A went viral.“Fat. Pehli baar desh ko represent kar raha tha, kaafi maza aaya, kaafi special tha. (It was great. I was representing India for the first time. It was very special and I enjoyed it),” he says.Ashok joined the team as Yudhvir Singh’s replacement, and the tour proved fruitful as he got to work with the former India pacer. Lakshmipathy Balajiwho was the bowling coach of the India A team.“It was very interesting to work with Lakshmipathy Balaji sir. He didn’t try to change many things. He suggested a few changes, especially regarding my non-piercing arm, and advised me to keep working hard. He said the reward will come,” says Sharma.
Ashok Sharma of Gujarat Titans during the warm-up before the 2026 Indian Premier League match against Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad on Sunday. (ANI photo)
Over the years, Ashok has worked with several big names. At Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun fine-tuned his bowling and taught him what it takes to stay strong as a fast bowler. For Rajasthan Royals (RR), Shane Bond advised him not to stop his movements. At Gujarat Titans (GT), Ashish Nehra took him down and emphasized the importance of hitting hard in every format.“Everyone has the same message, they don’t try to teach different things. Every cook has different strengths. One relies on vibration, another on speed, and each must work to their strengths,” he says.
Pat Cummins told me to focus on making this better instead of trying to be someone else. If I waste too much time chasing the swing, I won’t be able to bowl fast enough.
Ashok Sharma
Of all of them, the conversation that took place with him was with Pat Cummins during his time at KKR.“When I was with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022, Pat Cummins asked me what my biggest strength was. I said I could hit with confidence. Cummins told me to focus on making it better instead of trying to be someone else. If I waste too much time chasing the swing, I won’t be able to bowl fast enough. The idea has been to reinforce what I already do well. Maine likh rakha hai unke advices ko (I have written his advice),” says Ashok.Ashok also impressed with his Gujarat Titans captaincy Shubman Gill and his ability to throw the ball at 150 kph and deliver a slower ball of 110 kph with the same performance. He explains how he made a fraudulent offer while playing a cash game in Jaipur.
Gujarat Titans’ Ashok Sharma and his partner celebrate the wicket of Kolkata Knight Riders’ Rovman Powell during their Indian Premier League 2026 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad on Friday. (ANI photo)
“I started my cricket at school and playing value games. At that time, I used to bowl 130-135 kph but I didn’t know how to make slow deliveries. I had an off-cutter, which the batsmen could pick easily. My coach, late Vivek Yadavhe told me to learn handball. At first it was not easy and it took a lot of practice. Later, in the prize money competition, I took six wickets, including the four that were given to me. That gave me confidence that it could be one of my greatest weapons,” he says.Although Ashok has been part of other IPL franchises in the past, Gujarat Titans have given him a long time, and he credits captain Gill for supporting him.“Shubman bhai was very supportive from the beginning,” he says.
Shubman bhai was very supportive from the beginning. He always gave me freedom to speak and never pressured me. He always guided me in the right direction.
Ashok Sharma
“He always gave me the freedom to speak and didn’t pressure me, he told me to support my strengths and not try to do too much.” Whenever I’m in two minds about a game, I ask him for advice because he knows a lot, and he guides me in the right direction,” he added.Ashok admits that his journey has only just begun, but he has set a long-term goal for himself: to play Test cricket because he believes he has the power to spend a long, ugly spell. In the four-day development tournament, which begins on Wednesday at the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, they hope to impress the selectors with the red ball.
Ashok Sharma of Gujarat Titans during the warm-up before the Indian Premier League 2026 Qualifier 1 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, in Dharamsala on Tuesday. (ANI photo)
“The journey has just begun. Like every cricketer, it is my dream to represent India in all forms. I would love to play red ball cricket for my country. From Wednesday, we have a four-day red ball game at the CoE. This Championship will be a great opportunity for me to show my importance with the red ball,” he says.Ashok is among India’s new crop of fast bowlers, who the selectors believe has great potential. Harshit Rana has already established himself in white ball cricket. Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar have impressed with the opportunities they have received, while Mayank Yadav has returned to the Indian team after a brief injury.
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“Healthy competition is always important. If there is no competition, you will not push yourself to improve. Competition motivates you to improve every day. Whether it is speed or wickets, it helps you grow as a cricketer,” he says.For now, Ashok’s main weapon remains his pace. But more than just a speed gun, the 23-year-old has proven to be a great athlete. With the debut in India now so far away, he hopes that the journey that began in the dusty Rampura, about 35 km from Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur, will only grow.