Indian fast bowler Ashok Sharma has described his call-up to the national team as the fulfillment of his long-held dream, and the youngster is now hoping to make the international debut in the upcoming T20I against Zimbabwe. India will face Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series in Harare from July 23 to 26, and Ashok is one of the most likely players to claim his first cap. Ahead of the tour, the athlete said that wearing the Indian jersey has always been his biggest wish. “My first goal will be to wear the Indian jersey. I am waiting for that moment to wear the jersey and represent my country. I have been waiting for this for a long time. So it will be the first thing. The second thing is that I will continue to do what I know best. Whatever I have done so far – hard work in domestic cricket, preparation and practice – I have always followed that. I will keep my strength and not try anything else,” he told Jio Star. The 23-year-old also explained his ambitions for the Zimbabwean game, saying he wants to make the most of the opportunity if he earns a place in the playing XI. Ashok added that success in the shortest format would help him get closer to another dream of representing India in Test cricket. “Now that I am in the team against Zimbabwe, my next goal will be to take as many wickets as possible and try to play as many games as possible. I want to make this opportunity. My next goal after that will be to play red ball cricket in India as soon as possible,” he added. Ashok’s selection comes after he was included in the India A squad for the tour of Sri Lanka in June. He joined the team as a replacement after pacer Yudhvir Singh was injured while playing, giving him an opportunity to gain experience with the national development side. The right-arm pacer also revealed the cricketer who has developed his own style of running, identifying the former South African pacer. Dale Steyn as his greatest inspiration. “Dale Steyn is a bowler who is a match-winner in his own right. On his day, when his bowling was on point, he could win matches single-handedly. He could take the game away from the opposition on rare occasions,” he said. Elaborating on his admiration for the legendary fast bowler, Ashok said Steyn’s ideas and methods left a lasting impression on him. “I follow him in terms of his brutality, his speed, his strength and the way he used to set up opponents. Everything about him is inspiring. He is someone I look up to as a sprinter,” he added.