Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma has packed a remarkable rise into a short span – from his maiden T20 season for his State side to finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and now making his IPL debut with Gujarat Titans (GT) and having delivered the fastest ball of the ongoing season (154.2 kph).
With his trajectory sharply on the upswing, Ashok said his ultimate goal is clear: to represent India.
Under GT head coach Ashish Nehra, the focus has been less on outright speed and more on execution. “He knows I bowl fast. His thing is just to bowl in the right areas and focus on what improvements you can make. Pace, I can bowl anytime,” Ashok said over an online interview with journalists on Friday.
Interactions within the setup, particularly with senior pacer Ishant Sharma, have also shaped his development. “I had a long talk with him about what and how to do, and the things I can work on. He also worked on my bowling,” Ashok said.
“I believe more in my back-of-the-hand slower one and yorker,” he said of his go-to options at the death.
ALSO READ: ‘He gave up his dream for mine’ — Rajasthan’s Ashok Sharma repays brother’s faith
On the jump to the IPL level, he pointed to the unforgiving nature of elite cricket. “The margin is very small. There you can get away with making mistakes, here you cannot.”
His grounding lies in the ecosystem at Rajasthan’s Aravali Cricket Club, where a culture of shared learning has helped produce emerging talent. Founded by the late Rajasthan cricketer Vivek Yadav, the academy has nurtured some of the young IPL talent, including Akash Singh (LSG), Kartik Sharma (CSK), and Mukul Choudhary (LSG).
“Akash Singh was the first one who played IPL. Seeing him, everyone felt their brother was playing and started following him.” Ashok added that he “practices together” with peers Mukul and Kartik, exchanging ideas and learning through constant conversation. “We spoke with Akash bhaiyya about how it was there in the IPL, and tried practicing accordingly.”
Published on Apr 10, 2026
