India Call-Up a Dream Come True, Says Ashok Sharma

Speaking to JioStar, Ashok Sharma opened up about the advice he got from former India pacer Ishant Sharma:

"When I joined the Gujarat Titans camp for the first time, Ishant Sharma bhai was standing there. He asked me about my recent performance, how many wickets I had taken in Ranji Trophy and what my figures looked like. I told him, 'Bhaiya, I have 16 wickets in four matches.' He said, 'Everything looks good. You are bowling well. But if you work a little more on your length, especially the good length area, those 16 wickets in four matches can easily become 24. Just focus on hitting that consistent length.' That was a big moment for me. Ishant bhai has played Test cricket for India and has taken more than 300 wickets. He has bowled to the best batters in the world. If he gave me that advice, he must have said it after watching me closely. That advice stayed with me. It reminded me that small improvements in the right areas can make a big difference."

On his conversations with Mohammed Siraj:

"I had a lot of talks with Siraj bhaiya as well. Whenever we were in the dressing room or bowling together in the nets, I would keep asking him questions throughout the day. I would ask him, 'Bhaiya, when you play a match, how much pressure do you feel? What do you think before bowling a delivery? If I have to bowl to someone, how should I set him up?' I would discuss all these things with him. Siraj bhaiya would explain everything to me very well. He would stand with me and watch two or three of my deliveries. Then he would tell me, 'Do this, make this change, try this.' So I learned a lot from him. I have carried all those learnings with me. Whenever I get time to practice in Jaipur, I focus on those things and try to do them even better."

On Gujarat Titans’ head coach Ashish Nehra:

"Whenever I talk about belief, I think of Nehra sir. I used to go to him with every doubt. Whenever I had any self-doubt or needed to ask something, I would approach him. He had told me once, 'Even if you come to me at midnight with a question, I will be ready for you.' So whenever I had any doubt, whether it was about a delivery or anything related to my bowling, I would go to him. After matches, I would go to his room and watch videos of my bowling. I would ask him what more I could perfect and what I needed to work on. I consider him my mentor. I have learned so much from him this IPL season, and he has helped me a lot."

On his admiration for Dale Steyn:

"Dale Steyn is a bowler who is a match-winner in himself. On his day, when his bowling was on point, he could win matches single-handedly. He could take the game away from the opposition in a matter of a few overs. I follow him in terms of his aggression, his run-up, his intensity, and the way he used to set up batters. Everything about him is inspiring. He is someone I look up to as a fast bowler."

On the emotions of getting his maiden call-up for India:

My first target will be to wear the India jersey. I am waiting for that moment, to wear that jersey and represent my nation. I have waited for this for a long time. So that will be the first thing. The second thing is that I will keep doing what I know best. Whatever I have done till now, the hard work in domestic cricket, the preparation, the routines, I will just keep following that. I will stick to my strengths and not try anything extra. Now that I am in the squad for the series against Zimbabwe, my next target will be to take as many wickets as possible and try to play as many matches as I can. I want to make this opportunity count. My next goal after that will be to play red-ball cricket for India as soon as possible."