GT’s Ashok Sharma Receives Highest Praise From His Like-For-Like IPL Teammate

GT’s Ashok Sharma Receives Highest Compliment [Source: AFP]

Gujarat Titans’ young pacer Ashok Sharma has left an everlasting impression on fans this IPL 2026 season, which is also his debut year in the tournament. Apart from fans, he recently received high praise from a teammate as well.

Sharma, who consistently bowls between 140-145 km/h, has picked up 6 wickets in as many games so far with a 10.85 economy. He also delivered the fastest ball of the season at 154.2 km/h.

Jason Holder goes gaga over Ashok Sharma 

Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans all-rounder Jason Holder is completely in awe of Ashok Sharma. Talking to PTI, he said Ashok has elite pace, especially for a young Indian bowler, and such pace cannot be achieved through training.

“To see a young bowler come in and bowl at 145 kmph consistently… Ashok has been one of those guys who has really impressed me on that front. He’s got pace, and beyond his pace is his skill. You see his slower balls, you see he’s able to nail the yorkers, and over a period of time, he’ll gain experience, he’ll gain knowledge and understand when to bowl his deliveries at the best time," Holder said.

Holder added that Ashok is a gifted talent and his skill development is already visible. If he continues to thrive like this, Jason believes the young speed gun is a special man to watch out for.

“I’m really excited to see his progress. I think he’s one to watch out for. If he remains fit and remains hungry, I think he can definitely go places. You can’t train pace. You either have pace or you don’t have pace and to sustain it without being injured for a very long time is difficult. So he’s got a natural gift for being quick, but he’s added some skills as well," he added.

Jason Holder’s praise makes sense for Ashok Sharma because the duo are very much alike. Both bowl at a fiery pace, and Holder is much more experienced, having won crucial games for the West Indies.

Under his guidance at the Gujarat Titans, Ashok Sharma can actually learn and grow further as India’s fast-bowling future.

Also Read - Watch - 150 KPH Skull Crusher! Ashok Sharma's Snorter Hits Mukul Choudhary

Ashok Sharma’s heartening journey

That being said, the journey to the IPL wasn’t an easy ride for Ashok Sharma. He comes from a small village near Jaipur that lacks proper roads and basic facilities. Despite IPL fame and money, he still chooses to live there.

According to his family, Ashok wakes up at 5 AM daily to train for 3 hours straight. He follows a strict diet and prefers simple homemade food over luxury.

During a crucial phase, the pacer lost his mentor, Vivek Yadav, to Covid 19, and that emotional setback took a toll on him. Despite this, he became stronger and worked hard on his dream.

Before joining the Gujarat Titans, Ashok Sharma played as a net bowler for KKR and Rajasthan Royals. But he finally got his debut in IPL 2026 with GT.

Gujarat Titans were beaten by Mumbai Indians

Meanwhile, the Gujarat Titans had a tough day on the field as they lost their previous clash to the Mumbai Indians in what turned out to be a landslide defeat.

In the first innings, Tilak Varma’s century helped MI post 199 runs on the board. However, GT’s chase never picked up as they lost Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler cheaply.

Shubman Gill also wasted a good start, and from 54/4, the Titans slipped to 86/8 and eventually got bowled out for just 100 runs.

Ashwani Kumar stole the show for the Mumbai Indians by picking up 4 wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah got his maiden wicket of the IPL 2026 season.

Also Read - Abhishek Sharma Drops Cold Celebration Vs Delhi Capitals; Kavya Maran Applauds From Stands