Staying calm under pressure is the biggest learning from IPL: Ashutosh

Ashutosh is unfazed at not being retained by Punjab Kings and says he will be happy just as long as he gets to play.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

It is approaching that time of the year when the fortunes of many cricketers can change in a matter of seconds at an Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. With a mega auction set to take place this time in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25, a total of 1,165 Indian players, along with 409 overseas cricketers, are hoping to attract serious interest from any of the ten franchises.

Ashutosh Sharma is among that lot. Having had a breakthrough IPL 2024 for Punjab Kings after being picked at his base price of ₹20 lakh, the 26-year-old’s expectations are justified too.

Batting predominantly in the slog overs, Ashutosh’s daring and inventive strokeplay yielded recognition as he contributed 189 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 167.26. That he wasn’t retained by Punjab Kings was perhaps because Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh, also uncapped batters, were a tad more impressive.

But the middle-order batter, who moved to Railways after not getting enough opportunities for Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket, is not fussed about the non-retention.

“I was normal. I didn’t think much about whether I was retained or not. It is not in my hands. I couldn’t have done anything about it. If I go to Punjab again, it will be good because it gave me such a big opportunity and allowed me to express myself. Wherever I go, I will be happy as long as I just play cricket,” Ashutosh told The Hindu during a virtual interaction on Thursday.

Asked how life has changed after last season’s IPL, he responded with a wide smile: “First thing is that everyone has started identifying me. I have got to learn a lot of things. A lot of legends play in the IPL. I have learned by observing how they perform on a big stage. I used to get to bat in tough situations. The biggest lesson was how to handle those tough situations and how to stay calm and believe in yourself.”