New Delhi: India’s fast bowling line-up has unearthed another exciting prospect with Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma making his international debut in the first T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday.The 24-year-old has made significant progress in domestic cricket and the Indian Cricket League, making his debut as captain for India Shreyas Iyer In the opener of the three-match series, won the toss and was voted first.After the toss, Iyer explained the decision to bowl first, referring to the expected bounce on Harare’s surface.“We have to bowl first. It’s my first time here, so I don’t know how the wickets will go. But look at the practice wickets, there’s quite a bit of bounce,” Iyer said.India opted for a balanced attack of three seamers and one specialist spinner, giving Ashok a chance to start his international tour alongside pacers Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav.
- Indian team eleven: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav.
Ashok Sharma: From Rajasthan village to Indian cap
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 opportunities in cricket. His father was a farmer, and the family’s financial situation could only support a son’s serious pursuit of cricket.His elder brother Akshay Sharma, who played district-level cricket, put his ambitions aside so that Ashok could continue chasing his dreams.Years of hard work finally paid off and Ashok emerged as one of the most improved pacers in the country in the 2025-26 season.
Record-breaking domestic season, IPL breakthrough
Ashok announced himself on the national stage in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and became the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in just 10 matches. His ability to consistently bowl long balls at speeds of over 150 km/h quickly caught the attention of IPL teams.Gujarat Titans acquired his services for Rs 90 lakh in the IPL 2026 auction and the move proved to be an enlightening investment.Led by head coach Ashish Nehra, Ashok has impressed throughout the season with his raw speed and steep bounce. His finest moment came against Rajasthan Royals when he set the record for the fastest delivery in IPL 2026 with a speed of 154.2 kmph, sending a thunderbolt to Dhruv Jurel at the Narendra Modi Stadium.Despite playing just six games, the right-arm pacer took six wickets and kept troubling the batsmen with his blistering pace.
