Plot: Ashutosh Sharma turns into an unexpected bowling hero in England

Hampshire signed Ashutosh Sharma expecting fireworks with the bat. After all, the Indian has built his reputation as a fearless finisher in the IPL, capable of changing the course of a match with just a handful of deliveries.

Two matches into the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, but the script has been completely flipped.

Ashutosh struggled in the role he was recruited for, scoring just 10 against Yorkshire before being dismissed for a duck against Middlesex. While his batting has yet to show, his bowling has become one of the biggest talking points of the tournament.

Before arriving in England, the 27-year-old had bowled just 22 overs in List A cricket and claimed just two wickets. He was considered more of an occasional medium pacer than a genuine bowling option.

Now he suddenly looks like a Hampshire goalkeeper.

ROLE REVERSAL NO ONE SAW COMING

Ashutosh made an immediate impact on his Hampshire debut against Yorkshire. Despite managing just 10 runs with the bat, he played with the ball and returned impressive figures of 9-1-48-3 as Hampshire posted 320/8 before sealing a comfortable victory by 50 runs. His victims included Sam Whiteman, Dom Bess and Harry Duke, underscoring his ability to break up crucial partnerships.

If that performance raised eyebrows, his second outing stunned everyone.

Hampshire were beaten by Middlesex, suffering a 160-run defeat after being bowled out for just 124. Ashutosh’s duck summed up a disappointing day with the bat, but he was again the pick of the bowlers. He produced List A career-best figures of 9-0-54-4, removing Nathan Fernandes (45), Joe Cracknell (17), Zafar Gohar (0) and Jack Nelson (1) to keep Hampshire in the contest for as long as possible.

The contrast could hardly be more striking. Signed for his explosive bat, the player managed just 10 runs in two innings, yet had already taken seven wickets – more than triple the two wickets he took in his entire List A career before the tournament.

Cricket has a habit of rewriting rumours. Ashutosh arrived in England as a powerful batsman who could chip in at times. Just two games later, Hampshire fans are talking about him for a completely different reason – his remarkable performances with the ball.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

24 Jul 2026 23:21 IST