India fast bowler Ashok Sharma has described receiving his maiden senior national team call-up as the fulfilment of a long-standing dream, with the youngster now hoping to make his international debut during the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe. India will take on Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series in Harare from July 23 to 26, and Ashok is among the uncapped players in contention to earn his first cap. Ahead of the tour, the pacer said wearing the India jersey has always been his biggest ambition. “My first target will be to wear the India jersey. I am waiting for that moment to wear that jersey and represent my nation. I have waited for this for a long time. So that will be the first thing. The second thing is that I will keep doing what I know best. Whatever I have done till now- the hard work in domestic cricket, the preparation and the routines- I will just keep following that. I will stick to my strengths and not try anything extra,” he told Jio Star. The 23-year-old also outlined his immediate objectives for the Zimbabwe series, saying he wants to make the most of the opportunity if he gets a place in the playing XI. Ashok added that performing well in the shortest format could help him move closer to another dream of representing India in Test cricket. “Now that I am in the squad for the series against Zimbabwe, my next target will be to take as many wickets as possible and try to play as many matches as I can. I want to make this opportunity count. My next goal after that will be to play red-ball cricket for India as soon as possible,” he added. Ashok’s selection comes after he was part of the India A squad for the tour of Sri Lanka in June. He joined the squad as a replacement after pacer Yudhvir Singh sustained an injury while fielding, giving him the chance to gain experience with the national development side. The right-arm pacer also revealed the cricketer who has shaped his approach to fast bowling the most, identifying former South Africa speedster Dale Steyn as his biggest inspiration. “Dale Steyn is a bowler who is a match-winner in himself. On his day, when his bowling was on point, he could win matches single-handedly. He could take the game away from the opposition in a matter of a few overs,” he said. Explaining what he admires about the legendary fast bowler, Ashok said Steyn’s attitude and methods have had a lasting impact on him. “I follow him in terms of his aggression, his run-up, his intensity and the way he used to set up batters. Everything about him is inspiring. He is someone I look up to as a fast bowler,” he added.
