‘Don’t settle for India A, aim for 100 Tests’: Ashish Nehra’s advice to Ashok Sharma

JAIPUR: Ahead of the 2026 IPL, Ashok Sharma had a modest reward in mind for his hard work: upgrading his silver chain to gold. But his elder brother Akshay turned him down with a challenge: to win an India cap first. Ashok did not give up easily. Just before leaving to play for India A in the Tri Nation A Series in Sri Lanka, he cheekily reminded his brother again about the upgrade.The answer was still firm, not yet. He was told that the gold would have to wait for an official Indian call.Now that dream has finally come to a close. With his selection for the T20I series in Zimbabwe this July, the embargo was officially lifted. Akshay promised that once Ashok returns home from Bengaluru where he is playing the Emerging Men’s Tournament, he will finally be allowed to buy any gold chain of his choice.But now, as I think about the elusive Indian cap in his hands, the jewelry recedes into the background and focuses on him. Instead, the 24-year-old speedster is completely preoccupied with visualizing his bowling plans and imagining his first step into the Indian dressing room. “Right now I am solely focused on preparation,” Sharma told TOI.On the cusp of his international debut, the Rajasthan pacer draws on the wealth of knowledge gathered from his IPL journey, whether he’s grinding as a net bowler, waiting in the wings or breaking into the playing XI. In a candid interview, he opens up about the journey to his stellar domestic season and the crucial advice imparted by Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra. excerpts:Bowling Schedules:When it comes to my preparation for this big occasion, I will just stick to the basics I have followed so far, work on my strengths and focus fully on them. My main strength is hitting a hard length which allows me to get a good bounce, so I will concentrate on bowling from there. I will also remain adaptable to whatever the team requires at that time, be it playing slower balls or yorkers, it purely depends on the match situation.Early years of IPL with KKR and RR:I really appreciate my time with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) because you can learn something or the other from each place. I couldn’t make the playing eleven but I was lucky enough to be around legendary figures and international stars like Pat Cummins, Tim Southee, Shane Bond, Sandeep Sharma and the then KKR bowling coach Bharat Arun sir.I vividly remember a conversation I had with Pat Cummins in 2022 when I was with KKR. I asked him what else I should do to improve, and he asked me, ‘What is your strength?’ When I told him I could hit a hard length and bite in that area whenever needed, he told me to make that one thing so good that even if someone woke me up in the middle of the night, I should play it flawlessly. He reminded me that every great bowler needs one defining weapon, just as Jasprit Bumrah or Lasith Malinga are known for their yorkers.The release of RR motivated me:Just 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 stuck in my mind and I realized that it wasn’t going to work with that kind of effort, I needed to do even better. I channeled that energy into focusing strictly on what was in my hands and doing my best, and thankfully that’s exactly what happened. I finished as the highest wicket-taker, tied with Jharkhand’s Sushant Mishra on 22 scalps.Development rate:My pace was natural when I started, although it wasn’t that fast at first. During my under-19 days, I only bowled around 130-135 kmph. Over time, through continuous bowling, rigorous training and a lot of focus on diet, my bowling improved and my pace gradually increased. Reaching a speed of 150 km/h was a specific target that I discussed with my coach in Jaipur, Vinay Meena. From 2022, I train my physics and field work with him.She doesn’t like to:When the season ended with Gujarat Titans, Ashish Nehra sir gave me a real check. He told me that my current age is the best age in my career and if these two or three years pass, no one will question me. He told me not to settle for just India A or things like that, but to aim to play 100 Test matches for India. My career is just starting and this milestone is very far but my dream is to play at least 60 to 70 test matches for this country.Support from seniors:Whenever I played in the nets, seniors like Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Ishant Sharma always supported me. If I faced any difficulties or wanted to learn how to improve childbirth, I could ask anyone and everyone was always ready to help.My stint with India A on the tour of Sri Lanka was also a great experience, although I only played the last match as a substitute. It was good because I played the final, learned what I could improve on and had a good chat with the team’s bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji. Right now my age is learning so I try to absorb as much as I can from any opportunities I get.Family Dynamics:Everyone at home has always supported me, but my older brother is the one who fully pursued my dream. He also wanted to be a cricketer, but our tight financial situation meant that only one of us could win. He willingly stepped aside and passed up his own chance at an academy so that our father, who is a farmer, could finance mine. But he didn’t completely leave the game. He now runs a small cricket academy in Jaipur.He was the one who informed me about my selection in the India squad. My elder brother still manages all my expenses. I still have to get his approval and explain everything to him, just like I did during the IPL when I bought an iPad and had to clear the receipt through it.