Exclusive: A Brother’s Sacrifice and a Coach’s Belief Paved Ashok Sharma’s Road to the IPL

Six years ago, a 16-year-old son of a farmer in Rajasthan stood outside a cricket academy in Jaipur, wondering if his limited means would allow him to pursue cricket. 

Fast forward to 2025, and he is now a part of Rajasthan Royals' squad in the Indian Premier League. 

A Dream Born in the Fields of Rajasthan

For the first time in Rajasthan’s cricket history, 10 cricketers from the state will feature in IPL 2025 - the most ever in a single season. Among them is 22-year-old Ashok Sharma, who is no stranger to the star-studded league. The medium pacer spent the 2022 season with the Kolkata Knight Riders, though he didn’t get a game, and was a net bowler for Rajasthan Royals in 2021, 2023, and 2024. Now, he has been drafted into their squad for IPL 2025 - a season in which he hopes to finally make his debut. 

Ajit Tendulkar played an important role in shaping his brother Sachin Tendulkar’s career. That is a well-documented story and one to which Ashok, born in the village of Rampura near Jaipur, can relate.

A Brother’s Sacrifice That Changed Everything

"My father was a farmer, so we always struggled financially," Ashok tells SportsBoom.com. 

"My brother Akshay introduced cricket to me at a young age, and we played gully cricket with a few other children."

Both Akshay and Ashok wanted to pursue cricket as a career. But financial constraints meant their father could afford coaching for only one of them. 

"Akshay gave up on his own dreams so I could pursue mine," Ashok says, his voice filled with gratitude for his brother, who is four years older. "That one sacrifice is the reason why I could come this far."

Finding a Mentor in Vivek Yadav

Since Rampura lacked cricket infrastructure, Ashok was unable to avail training facilities. Akshay found out about the Aravali Cricket Club in Jaipur, the nearest facility where Ashok could train. 

At the time, the Aravali Cricket Club was run by the late cricketer Vivek Yadav, who represented Rajasthan in first-class cricket and the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. The first time Ashok picked up a leather ball was at this club.

The Aravali Cricket Club was the closest cricket academy to Rampura, but it was still quite a distance away. Ashok travelled for over an hour daily to reach the club before eventually moving into its hostel. Unable to afford his own cricket gear, he borrowed equipment from his seniors at the club.

"I tried arranging spikes before my first trials," he recalls his struggling days. 

"A bowler needs good spikes but I couldn’t afford or arrange them, so I wore normal shoes instead."

Yadav, who knew the young boy possessed talent but faced financial challenges, waived Ashok's entry fees for tournaments and gifted him cricket equipment as rewards for performing well.

"He knew about my financial situation, so he never charged me for tournaments. He even took me in his car to matches so that I did not have to spend on travel. He also gave me cricket gear whenever I performed well."

Yadav, who took 57 wickets in 18 first-class games, lost his battle with stomach cancer in 2021. His passing was a personal loss for Ashok. 

"His death felt like a huge loss.”

"He understood my game better than I did and guided me in matters far beyond just cricket. Now, my only goal is to give my 200% and make him proud."

Ashok broke into the Rajasthan U-19 team in 2019. But the next year, cricket came to a halt due to COVID-19. 

"I trained every single day for this, hoping it would be my gateway to the India U-19 team.”

"Imagine training from 6 in the morning to late in the evening every day without any off days and finally making it to the U-19 state team. We were all disappointed with the situation but people suffered much bigger losses. So many lost their loved ones."

Domestic cricket resumed in 2021, but another setback followed - he was diagnosed with dengue just before the Challenger Trophy (organized by Rajasthan Cricket Association, not BCCI).

"I was diagnosed with dengue only days before the Challengers Trophy for U-23 state probables. I still played, but I wasn’t fully fit and couldn’t perform well,” Ashok says. 

After a few setbacks, Ashok's hard work paid off in 2021 when he participated in Red Bull Speedster, a competition jointly organized by Red Bull and Rajasthan Royals to identify promising fast bowlers. The Royals, impressed with Ashok's bowling, roped him as a net bowler for IPL 2021. For someone without first-class cricket experience—something he still lacks—sharing the field with some of the game’s greats was a massive opportunity.

"I was nervous but excited to be around players like Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, David Miller, and Kumar Sangakkara.”

"It was surreal and gave me a huge confidence boost. Chris Morris and Mustafizur Rahman gave me bowling tips."

"Zubin Bharucha sir (Director of Cricket) and Romi Bhinder sir (Team Manager) were very kind. They made sure net bowlers were treated like they are a part of the squad.”

Ashok also credits former cricketer Dishant Yagnik, now the fielding coach of the Royals, for playing an important role in his cricketing journey. Yagnik, who was a part of the Rajasthan Royals team from 2011 to 2015, shared videos of Ashok bowling in the nets with multiple IPL franchises.

The Kolkata Knight Riders invited Ashok for trials before eventually securing his services for Rs 55 lakh ahead of IPL 2022. Ashok earned Rs 35 lakh more than his base price. 

"Dishant sir shared videos of my bowling with multiple franchises.”

"I think this was a major turning point in my life."

From Net Bowler to IPL Contract

Since Ashok had no domestic experience—having never played in the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, or Vijay Hazare Trophy—he was ineligible for the IPL auction. However, KKR made a special request to the BCCI to allow him to enter the auction.

"At the auction, both KKR and RR bid for me before KKR secured my services for Rs 55 lakh. I still can't believe that I was picked for that amount. It gave me financial security. I’m sure Vivek sir would have been extremely proud if he were alive."

Ashok did not get a game in the IPL 2022. However, he remembers the season as a great learning experience. The right-arm pacer credits bowlers like Tim Southee, Pat Cummins, and Umesh Yadav for some crucial bowling tips that helped him perform well in the Rajasthan Premier League 2023.

"I learned a few things about wide yorkers and accurate bouncers, which helped me in the Rajasthan Premier League 2023.”

"I also remember a conversation with Pat Cummins about using bouncers and bowling at the right lengths. In the first game of the RPL, I was named Man of the Match, and I believe those same tips helped me claim three wickets at an economy rate of 3."

After warming the bench for the entire 2022 season, he once again took on the role of a net bowler for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2023 and 2024. 

Lessons from the Best in the Game

Going back to being a net bowler did not discourage Ashok. Instead, he drew inspiration from former India international Mohit Sharma's story. In 2022, Sharma joined the Gujarat Titans as a net bowler despite having the experience of 30 international matches. The next year, the franchise signed him, and he ended the season with 27 wickets, tied for the second-highest.

"In a post-IPL interview, Mohit Bhai said that if you don't practice with players of that calibre, how will you be ready?"

"If a former India pacer could become a net bowler and fight his way back, I had no reason to be disappointed. After three years as a net bowler for the Rajasthan Royals, I have finally made it to their squad and hope to make my debut this season."

Rajasthan Royals already boast some experienced quicks in their 2025 squad, but with cricket being a game of uncertainties, unexpected debuts are not uncommon. Only two days before joining the Royals in Jaipur for the IPL 2025, Ashok played for Rest of India against Pondicherry and consistently bowled at speeds in the 140s, with his fastest delivery reaching 145 kmph. 

For a small-town boy who grew up with limited means, some of life’s first experiences, like traveling by air for the first time, are now cherished memories. 

"I travelled by flight for the first time after getting into the Rajasthan U-19 team.”

"We were traveling for the U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy, and I was more nervous than excited. Simple things like fastening the seatbelt made me anxious. I had only travelled by train, and suddenly, I was in the air!"

Ashok has now travelled extensively across India, taken countless flights, and stayed in luxury hotels. But the boy from Rampura, which has only about 1,000 homes, has not forgotten his beginnings. 

"Growing up, I didn't just know the price of things—I understood their value. That's something that has stayed with me,” Ashok signs off.