Chandrakant Pandit and Ashutosh Sharma (R) | Source: X.com
In a game against Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2024 season, Ashutosh Sharma emerged as a game-changer for Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
His impactful performance of 31 runs in just 17 balls during the crucial moments of the match propelled Punjab Kings to a thrilling victory, securing their second win of the season.
Stepping up to the crease in the 16th over, the young cricketer forged a vital partnership, contributing 43 runs off just 22 balls for the Kings.
Ashutosh Sharma in action | Source: X.com
With a blend of three fours and a six, Ashutosh’s dynamic innings paved the way for his team to stylishly chase down the imposing target.
Ashutosh Sharma made waves in the cricketing world when he shattered Yuvraj Singh’s record for the fastest fifty by an Indian in T20s.
Hailing from Ratlam but nurtured in Indore, Ashutosh’s blitzkrieg fifty came off a mere 11 balls during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Group C encounter against Arunachal Pradesh in October 2023.
Interestingly, Ashutosh was a mere nine years old when Yuvraj Singh made history by hitting six sixes in an over off Stuart Broad in Durban.
Chandrakant Pandit’s Attempt to Derail Ashutosh Sharma’s Career
As Ashutosh Sharma garners praise today for his exceptional batting prowess, it’s important to remember his journey. Few know that he initially represented Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket before Chandrakant Pandit‘s unexplained decision led him to switch to Railways.
“In my last knock for MP I scored 84 runs against Pondicherry. But Mr Pandit had his own ways. He did not want me in the team for any format. It was heart-breaking,” Ashutosh Sharma told Hindustan Times.
“I had a tough time coming to terms with the fact that I was not in the scheme of things for Madhya Pradesh. My childhood coach Bhupen Chauhan backed me all this while. I had another heartbreak when I lost him last season before I joined Railways. He knew I would make a comeback.”
Chandrakant Pandit currently holds the position of head coach at Kolkata Knight Riders. However, the rationale behind Ashutosh Sharma’s exclusion from the Madhya Pradesh domestic team remains shrouded in mystery.
