On Monday, Ashutosh Sharma, an allrounder for the Delhi Capitals, pulled off an impressive win against the Lucknow Super Giants. His team kicked off their IPL 2025 season in style, turning a tough situation into a thrilling victory. Facing a daunting chase, the Capitals were struggling at just 65 runs for 5 wickets in the seventh over, but Ashutosh managed to keep his composure and went on to score a brilliant unbeaten 66 off 41 balls. He played a key role in helping his team cross the 210-run target.
After the game, the franchise shared a nice moment between Ashutosh and mentor Kevin Pietersen. In the clip, Pietersen is seen giving Ashutosh some solid advice about what it takes to be a great cricketer. He emphasized that while getting your team in a good position is crucial, it’s the ability to finish games that sets the great players apart.
And Ashu took it seriously 🥶 pic.twitter.com/GMnAuLkaXn
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 24, 2025
This advice clearly resonated with Ashutosh, who mentioned in his post-match interview that he had spent the whole year visualizing how he would finish games like this after his remarkable performance against Lucknow in Vishakhapatnam.
Last season, Ashutosh caught everyone’s eye for his finishing skills while playing for the Punjab Kings, and it seems he has carried that form into this season. Although it’s only the third game in this year’s IPL, he was thrilled with his performance on Monday, especially since he helped bring his team back to life when they looked almost out of the game at 113 for 6.
Ashutosh didn’t shy away from acknowledging the impact of Vipraj Nigam, a new player making his debut in the IPL. Together, they turned things around when it seemed like the Capitals were down and out. It was quite interesting how the Impact Player rule played a part in allowing Ashutosh to shine in this match. Despite starting slowly, collecting only 20 runs from his first 20 balls, he changed his approach when it mattered.
Reflecting on his performance, Ashutosh mentioned that he had missed opportunities to finish games last season. He took the entire year to concentrate on making that a reality, believing that if he could stick around till the last over, anything could happen. “Kudos to Vipraj for his calmness under pressure. I told him to keep going for it,” he said, making sure to give credit where it was due. Ashutosh also wanted to dedicate his achievement to his mentor, Shikhar Dhawan, acknowledging the guidance he has received along the way.
