Ashok Sharma is in the middle of a purple patch.
Once a struggling fast bowler riddled with self-doubt and frustration due to lack of opportunities, the 23-year-old has surged onto the radar of several franchises ahead of next week's IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi.
Ashok can consistently hit the high 140s (kph) and bowl a heavy ball, according to former Rajasthan opener Vineet Saxena. This has helped transform him from a raw and an erratic quick to a mature, well-rounded bowler capable of delivering across different phases of an innings in white-ball cricket.
Now in his maiden season of senior cricket, Ashok has been central to Rajasthan's surge to six wins in seven group-stage matches of the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). He tops the tournament's wicket charts with 19 scalps at an average of 12.10 and an economy rate of 8.84.
Ashok's recent performances have earned him trials with multiple IPL franchises; the latest in the long list of trials he has been to was for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Mumbai.
This surge wouldn't have happened had he given up cricket in 2021 in pursuit of a BA degree and a government job. When he failed to make the step up from Rajasthan's Under-19s to their Under-23s for consecutive seasons, Ashok decided he needed to support his family's farming business.
But on a random evening spent scrolling through his social media feeds, he discovered the talent hunt program Red Bull Speedster, and decided to give it a go. Registrations had closed by the time he reached the venue, but a friend dragged him back the next day, and, after some pleading, the organisers agreed to let him in.
"That small break with Red Bull Speedster rekindled my hunger," Ashok tells ESPNcricinfo.
From an original pool of around 250 hopefuls, Ashok cleared one brutal filter after another - first down to 75, then 25, and then a fiercely contested top ten, clinched after he hit 136 and 138kph on the speed gun in his two chances. Just when the finish line seemed in sight, there was yet another cut to determine the top five. Ashok survived every round, and eventually broke the 140kph barrier in the final.
All through the trials, Pankaj Singh, the former India quick and Rajasthan captain, kept a close eye on Ashok, and gave him positive feedback. Ashok was later called for trials by Dishant Yagnik, the former Rajasthan wicketkeeper, and Zubin Bharucha, both part of Rajasthan Royals' (RR) scouting set-up.
"When I went to their first trials in BKC [Bandra-Kurla Complex] in Mumbai [in 2023], I was given the new ball straightaway, and I dismissed both Sanju [Samson] bhaiyya and Jos Buttler twice in one over," Ashok says. "After the trials, Sanju bhaiyya asked whether I had played at the state level. That gave me the confidence, the feeling that I belong at this level."
Having been involved with RR as a net bowler through 2024, Ashok was signed by the team ahead of the mega auction before IPL 2025. He spent the entire season on the bench, and was released as part of a massive overhaul after the team finished ninth on the table.
It is against this backdrop that Ashok came into the 2025-26 domestic season, hoping to make every opportunity count. While his Ranji Trophy numbers were a little underwhelming - 14 wickets in four matches at 29.71 - he has made his SMAT opportunities count.
"I learnt a lot from Sandeep [Sharma] bhai," Ashok says about his time with RR. "Whenever I used to bowl in the nets to Dhruv Jurel or Yashasvi Jaiswal, I used to ask them for feedback. They used to talk about the importance of preparing for a net session, and not simply turning up and bowling. They made me understand the need to come ready with plans you want to implement."
When Ashok was a teenager, his father made it clear only one of his two sons could pursue the sport professionally. And because Ashok wasn't studious, cricket became a default option, even if the family couldn't always afford to support him. But help came from fellow players, and in particular Akash Singh, the former India Under-19 fast bowler who has played for RR, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
"Earlier, I did not have anything. I even had to borrow shoes to play," Ashok says. "Akash bhaiyya was my academy senior. I borrowed shoes from him and asked for help."
Now, two seasons in the IPL, albeit without playing time, have given Ashok a measure of financial security. In 2023, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) signed him for INR 55 lakh. Last season, RR signed him for INR 30 lakh.
"Now I feel I can help someone," Ashok says. "If a boy comes from a poor family, I try to support him because I've been through those struggles myself. Someone who rises from the bottom knows these challenges in a way those who have always been at the top rarely do."
Ashok trained at the Aravali Cricket Club in Jaipur, once run by ex-Ranji player Vivek Yadav, his first coach. Vivek's death during the Covid-19 pandemic crushed Ashok, and he has slowly come to terms with the loss. His IPL earnings have helped him fund a small academy in his village Ramapur, where his older brother coaches young players.
"The academy I went to those days was 40km away from my home, so I used to stay in the hostel there," Ashok says. "If I travelled daily, it would take two hours. There was only one vehicle at home, a bike, and my family did not allow me to ride it. So I had to stay in a hostel.
"Even during festivals, we would hardly buy new clothes because I knew we couldn't afford it. Today, I've been able to put in some money and contribute to an academy where my brother teaches. It's his way of once again re-living the dream he had of playing. When I started, he gave up cricket to support me. Now, it's great to see him back in cricket."
Ashok is a Dale Steyn fan. The years spent copying his action and trying to match his outswing are finally bearing fruit. "Even now, if you open my phone, you will only see his videos," he says. "I really like his aggression and his bowling style. He is a match-winner by himself, so I follow him a lot."
Ashok hopes his career trajectory will continue to trend upwards. For now, he hopes to take Rajasthan as far as he can at the SMAT, irrespective of what happens on IPL auction day. As for the long-term dream, it's very simple.
"Sir, one day I hope you will be taking my interview in the Indian jersey."