Who is Ashutosh Sharma? Know about the impact substitute who helped Punjab Super Kings beat Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets

The Indian Premier League, since its inception in 2008, has been a breeding ground for young talent. Stars like Jasprit Bumrah, Jitesh Sharma, and Ruturaj Gaikwad are just a few examples of players who rose to prominence through the IPL. This year is no different. Just two weeks into the tournament, youngsters like Mayank Yadav, Riyan Parag, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and Manimaran Siddharth have grabbed the attention of fans with their impressive performances.

Yesterday, when the game between Gurajat Titans and Punjab Kings seemed dead, another relatively unknown entity arrived and gave a glimpse of his potential on the big stage. Ashutosh Sharma, a 25-year-old batter from Madhya Pradesh was sent to the middle as an impact substitute with Punjab needing 50 runs off 27 balls to avoid a third successive defeat. Jitesh Sharma, the explosive finisher had just been dismissed and there was a common belief that a win was now in sight for the Titans. 

The broadcasters showed a glimpse of Ashutosh's domestic statistics when he arrived at the centre and the stats showed that he had it in him to pull off a win for the Kings. A strike rate of 200 over 15 games suggested he was made for the situation. The IPL is a different ball game altogether. History is littered with talented domestic players struggling on the big stage. However, Ashutosh was not to be one of them. 

Sharma oozed supreme confidence whilst at the crease and ended up smashing a game-changing 31 off just 17 balls, including three sixes and a four. His knock surprised not only the fans but the opposition as well as Punjab secured a thrilling victory by 3 wickets with just one ball remaining. In the post-match presentation, skipper Shikhar Dhawan praised Ashutosh for his nerves of steel under immense pressure.

Who is Ashutosh Sharma?

Ashutosh is a hard-hitter used to play from Railways in the domestic circuit. He first became prominent during last year's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy when he plundered an 11-ball fifty against Arunachal Pradesh. He initially played for Madhya Pradesh but shifted to Railways for better opportunities.

Apart from the sensational knock against Arunachal, Ashutosh also destroyed the bowling attacks of Mizoram and Meghalaya which made the Punjab Kings bid for him at the IPL Auction back in December. While he still doesn't have too much experience, Ashutosh gave a lovely account of his skills last night and if anything, he will only get better from here on.