Ashok Sharma of Gujarat Titans (AP) Ashok Sharma has emerged as one of the most exciting fast-bowling discoveries of IPL 2026, with the young Gujarat Titans pacer turning heads with his raw pace and fearless attitude. The 23-year-old quickly became one of the breakout stars of the tournament with a speed consistently above 150 km/h.Sharma recently made headlines after delivering a lightning strike at 154.2 kmph against Rajasthan Royals batsman Dhruv Jurel, the fastest delivery recorded in IPL 2026 and one of the fastest balls ever bowled in IPL history.Reflecting on the moment during an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Sharma admitted that it was a childhood dream come true inspired by legendary pacers like Brett Lee and Dale Steyn.“As a kid, watching someone bowl at 150km/h, I dreamed of doing the same one day. I used to watch Brett Lee and Dale Steyn and marvel at how much effort they put in, how fast they bowled and how it felt. Now I feel it myself,” Sharma said.
Watch
Why Suryakumar Yadav Will Lose India T20I Captaincy: Everything You Need To KnowThe young fast bowler described bowling 150 plus as a major milestone for any fast bowler.“Bahut badi baat hai 150 dalna (Bowling at 150 kmph is a big thing). Anyone who starts bowling fast dreams of bowling 150 one day. I had the same dream which has come true now. But right now my dream is to help the team win,” he added.Sharma also credited Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehru for playing a huge role in improving his bowling discipline and match awareness. According to Sharma, Nehra’s biggest lesson was to master the lengths of Tests before focusing on variations.”He always stands behind the pitcher during practice. He talks about reading the batsman. As a fast bowler, he was the first to tell us that we should be able to bat trial lengths. He always stressed the importance of how much control we have to bowl that length consistently, six balls in a row. Only then, he says, can we work on the yorkers, slower ones etc. and master them,” Sharma explained.Ashok Sharma was signed by Gujarat Titans for Rs 90 lakh in the IPL 2026 auction, the Rajasthan-born pacer had previously spent time with Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals without getting a game. However, his outstanding performance in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets, eventually earned him a proper IPL opportunity.So far this season, Sharma has taken six wickets in his first six matches, with best figures of 2/32 against Lucknow Super Giants. He also boasts the highest average speed in IPL 2026 among bowlers who bowled at least 60 deliveries, averaging an impressive 145.6 kmph.
Vote
How much do you agree with the statement that bowling at 150 km/h is a big milestone for fast bowlers?
