Ashutosh Sharma did exactly what Delhi Capitals had bought him for in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction last year – finishing the games and taking the team over the line. The hard-hitting batter brought his new franchise back from the brink and took them to a win by one wicket against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday (Mar 24) in IPL 2025.
The 210-run chase wasn’t easy anyway and the falling wickets didn’t help DC’s cause either. Even Ashutosh Sharma wasn’t finding the middle of his bat and was 19 off 19 balls at one point. However, he soon found his rhythm and then, there was no stopping him.
“The mindset is to just follow the basics and believe in my ability. I was just following the process and wanted to take the game as deep as possible. My plan was to accelerate in the slog overs and ensure I batted till the 20th over. I had full confidence in my ability. I really enjoyed being out there, and my hard work paid off, Delhi Capitals’ player Ashutosh Sharma replied to WION’s question during the JioStar – Delhi Capitals Press Room on Friday.
DC needed 39 runs from last three overs which was made possible by debutant Vipraj Nigam’s 15-ball 39. Then Ashu took over – he smashed LSG’s best bowler Ravi Bishnoi for two sixes and a four in the 18th over.
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Ashutosh credited his rigorous training regimen, revealing that his off-season preparation included 2-3 hours of range hitting daily, with a special focus on mastering white yorkers. “Handling white yorkers isn’t about strength; it’s about hard work and technique,” he shared.
‘My celebration was for KP’
One of the defining moments of his innings was his audacious reverse sweep, a shot he later admitted to watching on replay multiple times. It wasn’t just an instinctive stroke—it was a tribute to none other than Kevin Pietersen, who has been a constant source of motivation for Ashutosh.
He also acknowledged the invaluable role of former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, whose unwavering belief in him helped shape his mental resilience. “His encouragement gave me the confidence to push through tough times,” he said.
A crucial aspect of the match was his partnership with debutant Vipraj Nigam. Ashutosh revealed how he kept motivating his younger partner to remain fearless. “I told him to back himself and play with confidence,” he shared, highlighting his leadership mindset.
Unlike many batters who rely on pre-planned strategies, Ashutosh believes in reading the match situation and adjusting accordingly. His ability to stay composed under pressure stems from extensive visualisation techniques, where he mentally simulates game scenarios during practice. Facing top spinners like Ravi Bishnoi is never easy, but Ashutosh embraces the challenge, having spent hours refining his shot-making to remain a threat against both pace and spin.
Ashutosh also revealed on how MS Dhoni gave him some tips on how to be a top finisher last season. “Yes, I definitely spoke to him about after the match. I wanted to pick his brains on how he keeps himself calm and composed in tense situations. We had a good insightful dicussion. I got to learn a lot from him. He is a legend of the game and any lesson that you can take from him is gold,” he signed off.