Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Railways batter Ashutosh Sharma on Saturday said that he scored his maiden first-class ton on his Ranji Trophy debut with the bat that an impressed Shikhar Dhawan gave him when the latter watched him bat for the first time in the pre-season camp for the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Mumbai.
Asked if he had anything memorable to share about Dhawan, who announced his retirement on Saturday morning, he said: “The best thing was when I met him for the first time in Mumbai for the (IPL 2024) pre-season camp. The first time he watched my batting, he gave me a bat. I made my maiden first-class (Ranji) hundred with that bat.”
Ashutosh smashed eight sixes and twelve fours in his 84-ball 123 against Gujarat on his debut innings in the Ranji Trophy in January this year.
Ashutosh Sharma in action for Punjab Kings during IPL 2023. | Photo Credit: Sportzpics for IPL
“Another thing that’s memorable is that before I went in to bat in my first IPL game against Gujarat Titans (GT), he (Dhawan) was sitting behind and told me: ‘I know you will do it. You will finish the game, will win it for the team. This cricket is the same as domestic cricket. Just calm your nerves,’” he added.
Coming in to bat with 50 needed off 27 balls, he hit three fours and a six in his 17-ball 31 to help PBKS chase 200 with three wickets and a ball to spare.
“I’ve spoken a lot with Shikhar Paaji. He taught me about visualisation and manifestation, and to always think positively,” said the 25-year-old on the sidelines of the Group-B match between Railways and TNCA President’s XI in the second round of the Buchi Babu Memorial All India invitational cricket tournament at the Salem Cricket Foundation (SCF). He didn’t play the match since he was unwell.
Ashutosh’s batting with Shashank Singh at the death in close matches was a highlight of the PBKS campaign in the last IPL season. He said that the major takeaway from the season was that he learnt how to handle pressure situations as a finisher.
Punjab Kings and Railway batter Ashutosh Sharma at Salem Cricket Foundation Ground in Tamil Nadu. | Photo Credit: LAKSHMI NARAYANAN E/The Hindu
“I learnt how a legend like Shikhar Paaji and a foreign player like Sam Curran perform in tough situations. Main thing is that I learnt how to handle pressure. Because, I’m a finisher and so my batting always comes in the death overs when we chase, say, 30 off 10 balls. So, I learnt how to make your team end up on the winning side from there.”
Speaking about Shashank Singh, he said: “He gave me confidence that I have the capability to become a finisher. He motivates me in those (tense) match situations. I was really enjoying batting with him, because we always think only about winning.”
His team’s nine-run loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) in a 193-run chase was particularly heart-breaking for him. He cracked a 28-ball 61 (2x4, 7x6), but fell when 25 was needed off 18 balls.
“I still think about that game. I keep thinking I should have won that game for the team; that I should have stayed in for just 10 more balls to win that match for the team,” he said.
Ashutosh recalled a compliment from Sanjay Bangar, the Head of Cricket Development at PBKS, that’s helped him perform in first-class matches as well. “He told me, ‘People call you a slogger, but you play some good cricket shots. Always believe in that.’”
On his short-term goal, he said: “I want to lift the Ranji Trophy for Railways.”
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