TimesofIndia.com in Jaipur: A day after switching his domestic allegiance from Rajasthan to Gujarat, fast bowler Ashok Sharma has been drafted into the India A squad in Sri Lanka as an injury replacement. The 23-year-old pacer replaces injured Yudhvir Singh.
Ashok will fly to Colombo on Tuesday morning before linking up with the squad in Dambulla, where the tri-series featuring India A, Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A is being played.
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Led by Tilak Varma, India A suffered a narrow defeat against the hosts on Monday and will now face Afghanistan A in a must-win clash on June 17.
Ashok grabbed attention during the Indian Premier League with his raw pace. He picked up six wickets in as many matches and is highly rated by the management of Gujarat Titans, who signed him for ?90 lakh at the auction.
TimesofIndia.com understands that Ashok's ability to bowl at 150 kph while disguising a 115-kph slower delivery with the same action has particularly impressed Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill.
Early Career and Setbacks
The young speedster first burst into the spotlight with his express pace. He broke an 11-year-old record in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets. Ashok secured his first IPL contract in 2022 when Kolkata Knight Riders signed him for ?55 lakh. He was later released and spent a season as a net bowler with Rajasthan Royals. At the 2025 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals bought him for his base price of ?30 lakh but released him again without giving him a game.
Despite the setbacks, one thing remained constant: the advice he received from Australian captain Pat Cummins during his time with Kolkata Knight Riders.
"I never thought about slowing down. I just wanted to maintain my pace and hit the right lengths. In 2022, I spent a lot of time with Pat Cummins," Ashok had told TimesofIndia.com earlier this year. "I spoke to him about lengths and what I could do better. He asked me a simple question: 'What is your strength?' Every bowler has one. Some swing it, some seam it. He asked me what I felt my strength was. I told him I could hit a hard length at good pace. He told me to stick to that. Whenever I practise, I remember his words. They still echo in my ears."
Opportunity with India A
Ashok now has an opportunity to impress the selectors with his pace and control in the India A setup. There is still no proper road connecting his village, Rampura, located about 35 kilometres from Jaipur, to the outside world. But the young fast bowler's journey is moving in the right direction, and he is edging closer to his destination.
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About the Author
Pratyush Raj is a cricket journalist with TOI Sports, specializing in all things cricket, both on and off the field. He began his career with the Business Standard before following his passion as a sports reporter for the Times of India in Chandigarh. Pratyush has also contributed to the sports coverage of India Today Group and his last stint was with The Indian Express. His love for sports was nurtured during his upbringing in flood-prone Saharsa, a district in North Bihar, where Cricket Samrat was his constant companion.
