India's Ashok Sharma makes international debut in T20I against Zimbabwe

NEW DELHI: India's fast-bowling production line has unearthed another exciting prospect, with Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma making his international debut in the opening T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday. The 24-year-old received his maiden India cap after a remarkable rise through domestic cricket and the IPL, as captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to field first in the opening match of the three-game series. Speaking after the toss, Iyer explained the decision to bowl first, citing the expected bounce on the Harare surface. "We are going to bowl first. This is my first time here, so I don't know how the wicket is going to play. But looking at the practice wickets, there was a decent amount of bounce," Iyer said. India opted for a balanced attack comprising three seamers and one specialist spinner, handing Ashok the opportunity to begin his international journey alongside fellow speedster Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav.

India Playing XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer (capt), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav.

Ashok Sharma: From a Rajasthan village to the India 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 cricketing opportunities. His father is a farmer, and the family's financial situation meant they could only support one son in pursuing cricket seriously. His elder brother, Akshay Sharma, who had himself played district-level cricket, put his own ambitions aside so that Ashok could continue chasing his dream. Years of hard work eventually paid off as Ashok emerged as one of India's fastest-rising pacers during the 2025-26 domestic season.

Record-breaking domestic season and IPL breakthrough

Ashok Sharma, who almost gave up on cricket, found his spark at the Red Bull Speedster competition, where he was dragged to by his friend even after registrations had closed. The coaches however gave him a go, and the rest is history. Ashok Sharma's wings received the wind it needed to take off, as he walked away with a new job - a net bowler with the Rajasthan Royals, in 2024. The year after the Royals' signed him into the squad. Ashok announced himself on the national stage in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, finishing as the tournament's highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in just 10 matches. His ability to consistently bowl hard lengths at speeds exceeding 150 kmph quickly attracted the attention of IPL franchises. Gujarat Titans secured his services for Rs 90 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction, a move that proved to be an inspired investment. Working under head coach Ashish Nehra, Ashok impressed with his raw pace and steep bounce throughout the season. His standout moment came against Rajasthan Royals when he clocked 154.2 kmph to bowl the fastest delivery of IPL 2026, sending down a thunderbolt to Dhruv Jurel at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Despite playing only six matches, the right-arm pacer claimed six wickets and consistently troubled batters with his express pace.