TimesofIndia.com in Jaipur: A day after switching his home allegiance from Rajasthan to Gujarat, fast bowler Ashok Sharma has been included in the India A team in Sri Lanka as an injury replacement. The 23-year-old fast bowler replaced the injured Yudhvir Singh.Ashok will travel to Colombo on Tuesday morning before joining the squad in Dambulla, where the tri-series involving India A, Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A is being played.Under the leadership of Tilak VermaIndia A suffered a narrow defeat against the hosts on Monday and now face a must-win match against Afghanistan A on June 17.Ashok gained attention for his fast pace during the Indian Premier League. He took six wickets in as many matches and was highly rated by the management of Gujarat Titans, who signed him for 9 million in the auction.TimesofIndia.com understands that Ashok’s ability to bowl at 150 kmph with the same action as a slow delivery of 115 kmph particularly impressed Gujarat Titans captain Shibman Gill.The young speedster first burst into the spotlight with his blazing speed. He broke an 11-year-old record in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and finished as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets.Ashok got his first IPL contract in 2022 when Kolkata Knight Riders signed him for 55 lakhs. He was later released and spent one season as a net bowler with Rajasthan Royals. In the 2025 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals bought him for his base price of £3 million but released him again without giving him a game.Despite the setbacks, one thing remained constant: advice from Australian captain Pat Cummins during his time with the Kolkata Knight Riders.“I never thought about slowing down. I just wanted to maintain my pace and hit the right length. In 2022, I spent a lot of time with Pat Cummins,” Ashok told TimesofIndia.com earlier this year. “I talked to him about length and what I could do better. He asked me a simple question: ‘What are your strengths?’ Each bowler has one. Some swing it, some sew it. He asked me what I felt was my strength. I told him that I can hit hard lengths with good speed. He told me to stick with it. Whenever I practice, I remember his words. They still ring in my ears.”Ashok now has a chance to impress the selectors with his pace and control in the India A setup. There is still no proper road to connect their village Rampura, about 35 km from Jaipur, to the outside world. But the young fast bowler’s journey is moving in the right direction, and he is getting closer to his destination.
