In the recent IPL 2024 match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, Ashutosh Sharma, the Punjab Kings batsman, displayed a remarkable performance by scoring a rapid 61 runs off just 28 balls. Despite his outstanding effort, Punjab Kings ended up on the losing side.
This innings showcased Sharma’s talent and determination, especially considering the challenging situation of losing four early wickets. His innings included 2 boundaries and 7 sixes, boasting an impressive strike rate of 217.86. With this innings, Sharma’s total runs in the tournament reached 156 runs in four matches.
This isn’t the first time Sharma has shown his explosive batting skills. Previously, he partnered with Shashank Singh to secure a significant victory over Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024. This success is particularly significant for Sharma, who faced uncertainty about his cricketing career between 2020 and 2022 due to alleged conflicts with the Madhya Pradesh head coach, Chandrakant Pandit.
Ashutosh Sharma said: “There was a time when I wasn’t even allowed to get a feel of the cricket ground.”
“I would go to the gym and retire to my hotel room. I was sinking into depression and no one told me what my fault was. A new coach had joined Madhya Pradesh and he had strong likes and dislikes and despite scoring 90 odd in 45 balls in a trial match, I was dropped from the team.”
“I had three fifties in six Mushtaq Ali games in the previous season yet I wouldn’t even be allowed to go to the ground. I was very depressed.”
Fortunately, a job offer from Railways provided him stability during this period. Sharma’s talent came to the forefront during the 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy when he equaled Yuvraj Singh’s record for the fastest T20 half-century, scoring 50 runs in just 11 deliveries against Arunachal Pradesh.
It was this extraordinary performance that caught the attention of Punjab Kings’ batting coach, Sanjay Bangar, leading to Sharma’s acquisition by the team in the IPL 2024 auction for the base price of Rs 20 lakh. Despite the challenges he faced earlier in his career, Sharma’s perseverance and talent have now earned him recognition at the highest level of cricket in India.
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