NEW DELHI: India’s fast bowling production line has discovered another exciting prospect, with Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma making his international debut in the opening T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday.The 24-year-old received his India cap after a remarkable rise through domestic cricket and the IPL, as captain. Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to field first in the opening match of the three-match series.Speaking after the toss, Iyer explained the decision to bowl first, citing the expected bounce on the Harare surface.“We have to bowl first. This is my first time here, so I don’t know how the wicket is going to play. But looking at the practice wickets, there was a decent amount of bounce,” said Iyer.India opted for a balanced attack comprising three seamers and a specialist spinner, giving Ashok the opportunity to begin his international journey alongside fellow speedsters Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav.
- India playing XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer (capt), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav.
Ashok Sharma: From a village in Rajasthan to India
Ashok’s journey to the national team is a story of perseverance and family sacrifice.Hailing from Rampura, a small village near Jaipur, Ashok grew up with limited cricketing opportunities. His father is a farmer, and the family’s financial situation meant that they could only support one son in the serious pursuit of cricket.His elder brother, Akshay Sharma, who had himself played cricket at the district level, gave up his ambitions so that Ashok could continue to pursue his dream.Years of hard work finally paid off as Ashok emerged as one of India’s fastest growing pacers during the 2025-26 domestic season.
Record domestic season and IPL breakthrough
Ashok burst onto the national stage in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, finishing as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in just 10 matches. His ability to consistently hit hard lengths at a speed of over 150 kmph quickly caught the attention of IPL franchises.Gujarat Titans secured his services for Rs 90 lakh in the IPL 2026 auction, a move that turned out to be an inspired investment.Working under coach Ashish Nehra, Ashok has impressed with his raw pace and sharp bounce throughout the season. His outstanding moment came against Rajasthan Royals when he clocked 154.2 kmph to bowl the fastest delivery of IPL 2026, sending a thunderbolt to Dhruv Jurel at the Narendra Modi Stadium.Although he played only six matches, the right-arm pacer claimed six wickets and always troubled the batsmen with his expressive pace.