‘Don’t settle for India A, aim for 100 Tests’: Ashish Nehra advises Ashok Sharma | Cricket News

JAIPUR: Before 2026 IPL Initiated, Ashok Sharma had a small reward in mind for his hard work: upgrading his silver chain to a gold one. But his elder brother Akshay overruled him with a challenge: get the India cap first. Ashok does not give up easily. Before leaving to play for India A in the Tri Nation A Series in Sri Lanka, he again reminded his brother about the upgrade.The answer is not yet clear. He was told that the gold would have to wait for India’s official designation.Now, that dream has finally come full circle. With his selection for the T20I series in Zimbabwe this July, the embargo was officially lifted. Akshay promises that once Ashok returns home from Bengaluru, where he is playing in the Emerging Men’s Tournament, he is allowed to buy any gold chain he wants.But now, thinking about the elusive India cap in his hands, the jewelry took a backseat in full focus. However, the 24-year-old speedster was completely wrapped up in envisioning his bowling plans and envisioning his first step into the Indian dressing room. “Now, my focus is strictly on preparation,” Sharma told TOI.On the cusp of his international debut, the pacer from Rajasthan draws on the wealth of knowledge collected from his IPL journey, whether grinding as a net bowler, waiting in the wings or breaking into the playing XI. In a candid chat, he opens up about the drive behind his stellar domestic season and the key advice passed on by the Gujarat Titans head coach. Ashish Nehra. Quotes:Bowling plans:When it comes to my preparation for this great opportunity, I’ll just stick to the basics I’ve followed so far, work on my strength, and focus fully on it. My main strength is hitting a hard length, which allows me to get a good bounce, so I will keep my full focus on bowling from there. I will also remain adaptable to whatever the team demands at any given time, even if that means bowling slower balls or yorkers it all depends on the match situation.Initial years of IPL with KKR and RR:I really appreciated my time with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) because you learn something or the other from each place. I couldn’t be part of the playing XI, but I was lucky to be around great figures and international stars like Pat Cummins, Team Southee, Shane BondSandeep Sharma, and KKR bowling coach Bharat Arun sir.I clearly remember my conversation with Pat Cummins in 2022 when I was still with KKR. I asked him what I need to do to improve, and he asked me, ‘What is your strength?’ When I told him that I can hit the difficult height anytime and bowl in that place when needed, he told me to do something so good that even if someone wakes me up in the middle of the night, I should be able to bowl it without error. He reminded me that every great bowler needs a specific weapon, like Jasprit Bumrah or Lasith Malinga are known for their yorkers.RR’s release inspired me:Before the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, when our fourth Ranji match was underway, the retention list came out and RR released me. That failure really crossed my mind, and I realized that things don’t work out with just that much effort, and I need to do better. I channeled that energy into focusing strictly on what was in my hands and giving it my best, and thankfully, that’s exactly what happened. I finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker, leveling Jharkhand’s Sushant Mishra with 22 scalps.Development speed:My flow was natural when I started, although it wasn’t easy at first. I only bowled around 130–135 km/h during my Under-19 days. Over time, through continuous bowling, rigorous training and focusing a lot on my diet, my bowling became better and the pace gradually increased. Hitting 150 km/h is a specific target that I used to discuss with my trainer in Jaipur, Vinay Meena. I have been training with him on my body and ground work since 2022.Nehra’s advice:When Gujarat Titans season ended, sir Ashish Nehra gave me a reality check. He told me that my current age is the best age of my career, and if I lose these two or three years, no one will ask about me. He told me not to be satisfied with India A or things like that, but to set a goal to play 100 Test matches for India. My career has just started and that milestone is still far away, but my dream is to play at least 60 to 70 test matches for the country.Support from seniors:Whenever I bowled in the nets, seniors like Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Ishant Sharma were always there to support me. If I face any difficulty or want to learn how to make a delivery better, I can ask anyone and everyone is always ready to help.My stint with India A on the Sri Lanka tour was also a great experience, even though I only reached the last match as a substitute player. It was great because I got to play in the final, learned what I could improve on, and had a good chat with the team’s bowling coach. Lakshmipathy Balaji. Now I’m old enough to learn, so I try to absorb as much as possible from any opportunities I get.Family dynamic:Everyone at home always supported me, but my older brother was the one who asked for my dream. He also wanted to be a cricketer, but our tight financial situation meant that only one of us could make the cut. He willingly stepped aside, passing up his own chance at an academy so that our father, who was a farmer, could fund mine. He didn’t walk away completely from the game, though. He currently runs a small cricket academy in Jaipur.He informed me about my selection in the India squad. My elder brother still manages all my expenses. I still have to seek his permission and explain everything to him, like during the IPL when I bought an iPad and had to clear the receipt through him.