‘It's a secret’: Ashutosh Sharma refuses to reveal MS Dhoni’s words of wisdom

Ashutosh Sharma refuses to reveal MS Dhoni’s words of wisdom. (IPL Photo)

Playing valuable cameos for the Punjab Kings last season marked the beginning of Ashutosh Sharma's ascent in the IPL popularity rankings. But the franchise chose to let him go ahead of the mega auction. The Delhi Capitals won what Punjab had lost. Ashutosh was purchased by DC for Rs 3.8 crore at the mega auction.

For any breakout cricket player, the second season is usually regarded as the most difficult. Teams are better equipped to counter, and the surprise package is no longer present. However, Ashutosh only needed to play one game to put the ghost of the second season to rest.

The right-hander proved last year wasn't an anomaly in the Delhi Capitals' opening game of the 18th edition as he helped the squad chase down 210 despite being 65/5 at one point, leading the Axar Patel-led team to an unlikely triumph against the Lucknow Super Giants.

The 26-year-old took a while to get going, at one point scoring 20 from 20 balls. Delhi won the match with one wicket remaining and three balls remaining thanks to Ashutosh's outstanding performance in the final three overs, when he continued to lose partners at the other end and finished unbeaten at 66 off 31 balls.

As a meticulous professional who strives to become better every day, Ashutosh disclosed after winning the Player of the Match Award how he would frequently see himself winning games before the IPL began.

Ashutosh Sharma talked about his methods and how he got ready to give it his all for the Delhi Capitals in the 2025 Indian Premier League in a select media appearance on Friday.

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The maverick hitter for the Delhi Capitals also talked about how he was able to defeat wide yorkers since he had been practicing range hitting even before the IPL started.

"I have practised a lot; whenever we get some free time, I give it 2-3 hours to practice my range hitting. This has helped me a lot. Everything requires precise practice, and I do this to get the better of wide yorkers as well," said Ashutosh during the JioStar - Delhi Capitals Press Room.

"It all boils down to how much hard work you have been doing. There are many factors. But hard work is the biggest thing if you want to nail your shots against the wide-yorkers. When it came to my innings, I was just focusing on my process, and I wanted to take the game deep," Ashutosh added.

Ashutosh honored the team's mentor, Kevin Pietersen, with a "switch hit" celebration after the Delhi Capitals won the game.

Before the 18th IPL season, the former captain of England joined Delhi. The batter talked about how Pietersen gave him the confidence to finish games no matter how difficult they were.

"In the match, I spoke to KP in the dugout. He told me to express myself. He asked me to have faith in my own abilities. I thought he trusted me so much and kept his belief in me, so I wanted to dedicate my celebration to him. He is such a legend. When we kept losing wickets, he kept telling me you can do it," said Ashutosh.

"I am really enjoying sharing the dugout with him. He has been helping a lot in the nets. He keeps giving his suggestions. He has been such a big player. He has played a lot at a high level. So obviously, it feels great to learn from him," he added.

Ashutosh also shared how Shikhar Dhawan, his mentor, helped him better prepare for the obstacles he would encounter in his cricket career.

Dhawan and Ashutosh spent time together throughout the Punjab Kings' season last year. Ashutosh dedicated the Player of the Match award to the Indian icon following the victory over Lucknow.

"He (Dhawan) is my mentor. Since last year, when we had a camp for Punjab Kings, I have been talking to him. Ever since then, he has helped me with a lot of things. He helped in the mental aspect of the game. He says every player has different skills, but the mindset and self-belief take you far. This has really helped me a lot. He was very happy with my performance. He always tells me to stay down to earth and humble," said Ashutosh.

Few would know, but Ashutosh's performance from the previous season even impressed MS Dhoni. In addition to this, the renowned former India captain offered advice to the young player who aspires to become a great finisher.

"I spoke to MS Dhoni last season when we played against CSK. I asked him what goes on his mind when he goes to the middle to finish off games. He told me a lot of things," said Ashutosh.

Ashutosh remained silent when asked to name one thing that MS Dhoni had told him, responding, "It's a secret."