Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma has packed a remarkable rise into a short span — from his maiden T20 season for his State side to finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and now making his IPL debut with Gujarat Titans (GT) and having delivered the fastest ball of the ongoing season (154.2 kph). With his trajectory sharply on the upswing, Ashok said his ultimate goal is clear: to represent India.

Under GT head coach Ashish Nehra, the focus has been less on outright speed and more on execution. “He knows I bowl fast. His thing is just to bowl in the right areas and focus on what improvements you can make. Pace, I can bowl anytime,” Ashok said over a Zoom interview with journalists on Friday.