Jaipur: Until 2026 intense pulsed light As soon as the competition began, Ashok Sharma thought of a small reward for his hard work: upgrading his silver chain to a gold one. But his elder brother Akshay rejected him and threw a challenge: win the Indian cap first. Ashok did not give up easily. Before leaving the India A team for the Tri-Nations A series in Sri Lanka, he once again cheekily reminded his brother about promotion.The answer remains a firm not yet. He was told that Gold would have to wait for an official Indian call-up.Now, this dream has finally come true. The embargo was officially lifted as he was selected for the Zimbabwe T20I series in July this year. Akshay promised that once Ashok returns home from Bengaluru where he was participating in the Emerging Men’s Championship, he can finally buy any gold chain of his choice.But now, with the thought of the elusive Indian hat in his hand, the jewelry has taken a backseat and become pure focus. Instead, the 24-year-old pacer was completely immersed in imagining his bowling plans and imagining his first steps into the Indian dressing room. “Right now, my focus is entirely on preparation,” Sharma told TOI.With his international debut around the corner, the pacer from Rajasthan is utilizing the wealth of knowledge he has accumulated during his IPL journey, be it as a bowler, waiting in the wings or breaking into the lineup. In a candid chat, he opens up about the motivation behind his stellar domestic season and the key advice given by the Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra. extract:Bowling plan:As I prepare for this huge opportunity, I’ll just stick to the basic principles I’ve followed so far, play to my strengths, and focus entirely on them. My main strength is hitting hard lengths which allows me to get good bounce so I focus all my attention on bowling from there. I will also adapt to whatever the team demands at any given time, whether that means bowling a slow ball or a yorker, it all depends on the match situation.Initial IPL years for KKR and RR:I really cherish the time I spent with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) because you learn something from each place. I didn’t make the starting XI but I was lucky enough to be around a legend and an international star like Pat Cummins, Soucy, Shane BondSandeep Sharma and the then KKR bowling coach Mr. Bharat Arun.I distinctly remember a conversation I had with Pat Cummins in 2022 when I was working at KKR. I asked him what else I should do to improve and he asked me, “What are your strengths?” When I told him that I can hit the ball anytime and play in the area when needed, he told me to do this so well that I should be able to hit the ball perfectly even if someone wakes me up in the middle of the night. He reminded me that every great bowler needs a decisive weapon, like Jasprit Bumrah or Lasith Malinga are famous for their yorkers.RR’s release inspired me:Just before Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, when our fourth Ranji match was going on, the reserved list came out and RR released me. That setback was deeply etched in my mind, and I realized that just trying so hard wasn’t enough, and I needed to do better. I focused that energy on what was in my hand and gave it my best shot, and thankfully, that’s exactly what happened. I ended up being the joint-highest wicket-taker, tied with Jharkhand’s Sushant Mishra by 22 points.Development speed:When I started, my pace was natural, although not that fast initially. In my under-19 days, my bowling speed was only around 130-135 kmph. Over time, through constant bowling, rigorous training and a strict diet, my bowling got better and my speed gradually increased. Reaching 150 km/h was a specific goal I talked about with my coach Vinay Meena in Jaipur. I have been doing physical and ground training with him since 2022.Nehra’s advice:Ashish Nehra sir gave me a reality check when the Gujarat Titans season came to an end. He told me that the age I am now is the best age of my career. If these two or three years pass, no one will ask about me. He told me not to just settle for India A or something like that but to set a target of playing 100 Test matches for India. My career has just begun and this milestone is still far away, but my dream is to play at least 60 to 70 Test matches for the national team.Support from seniors:Seniors like Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Ishant Sharma were always there to support me whenever I played. If I ever get stuck or want to learn how to deliver better, I can ask anyone and everyone is always ready to help.My tour of Sri Lanka with India A was also a great experience, even though I only played the last game as a substitute. It was good because I got to play in the final, see where I could improve and had a good chat with the team’s bowling coach Lakshmipati Balaji. It’s my age to learn now, so I try to absorb as much knowledge as I can from the opportunities I’m given.Family updates:Everyone in my family has always supported me, but it was my brother who gave it his all for my dream. He also wanted to become a cricketer but our tight financial situation meant that only one of us made the cut. He willingly stepped aside and gave up his own chance to attend the academy so that our father, a farmer, could support my father. He’s not completely out of the game, though. He now runs a small cricket academy in Jaipur.He was the one who told me about my selection in the Indian team. My brother still manages all my expenses. I still have to take his consent and explain everything to him, just like I bought an iPad during the IPL and had to settle the receipt through him.
