He took 22 wickets in SMAT 2025.
Ashok Sharma will be playing for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season after being bought for INR 90 lakh at the auction in December.
Ashok Sharma is a right-arm fast bowler from Jaipur. He first made an impression during the Rajasthan trials, which earned him a place as a net bowler. His strong performances in the Rajasthan Premier League 2023, where he took eight wickets in seven matches, attracted more attention. With time, Ashok improved into a reliable fast bowler and now regularly bowls at speeds above 140.
He was signed by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2022 auction for INR 55 lakh. But he did not get a chance to play any matches. A few seasons later, he was bought by the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 auction for INR 30 lakh. But again, he did not get a chance to feature in games.
Ashok Sharma made his domestic debut for Rajasthan in 2025 and has shown steady progress across all formats. In the first four First-Class matches, he has taken 14 wickets. In List A cricket, he has picked up 13 wickets from seven matches. In T20s, he has claimed 22 wickets in 10 matches.
During his time with KKR, Ashok Sharma got useful advice from Pat Cummins that helped improve his bowling. Cummins told him to focus on his main strength instead of changing his natural style. Ashok’s strength was bowling hard lengths at a good pace, and Cummins advised him to keep doing that regularly.
“I never thought about slowing down. I just wanted to keep my pace and hit the right length. In 2022, I spent a lot of time with Pat Cummins. 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,” Ashok said to TOI in an interview.
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One of his best performances came in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025, which led to his IPL contract with the Gujarat Titans. Ashok took 22 wickets in 11 matches, with his best figures being 3/21. He had an average of 17.18 and an economy rate of 8.92. He finished as the joint top wicket-taker in the tournament.
In the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 season, Ashok Sharma has continued his good form by taking 13 wickets in seven matches.
He may not start the IPL 2026 season in the playing XI as Mohammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kagiso Rabada are likely to feature. However, with the form he is in and the pace he has, he could still play an important role for Gujarat Titans, who may also use him as an impact player if they go with four pacers.
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