'I was confident about my ability. I was just following the process, to go as deep as possible and bat till the 20th over.'
Young Ashutosh Sharma led Delhi Capitals to a thrilling win over the Lucknow Super Giants with a bllistering unbeaten 66 in their IPL match in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
The Railways batter continued from where he had left off during the debut 2024 season with Punjab Kings, pulling off a clutch knock that lifted DC from 65/5 during a 210 run chase and failed all computerised and data-driven win predictors.
Speaking after the match, Ashutosh reflected on his mindset during tense run-chase.
'I was confident. It is a part of the game. But it was not a part of my batting. I was very normal, if he (Mohit Sharma) took a single, I would hit a six.
'I was confident about my ability. I was just following the process, to go as deep as possible and bat till the 20th over,' Ashutosh explained.
Playing the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Vizag, Ashutosh said, helped him stay aware of the challenges ahead during the IPL as he knew how the wicket could behave in the second innings.
The Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament was a solid one for Ashutosh as he scored 164 runs in five innings including two fifties.
'I have played on this Vizag wicket. I could understand how it behaves in both innings. I could understand the situation easily. The wicket was good for me,' he said.
Ashutosh admitted that while his last year with PBKS (189 runs in nine innings with a fifty) was a great one, it is now 'history'.
'I took all the positives from the last season and now I have applied myself and not making the mistakes I made. I am applying what I learnt in domestic cricket.'
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