Ashutosh Sharma will forever remain indebted to his former franchise Punjab Kings' skipper Shikhar Dhawan, whose "life lessons" will stay with him 'forever".
The 26-year-old played a sensational unbeaten innings of 66 off 31 balls, smashing five fours and five sixes to steer Delhi Capitals in a thrilling chase of 210 against Lucknow Super Giants despite being 65/5 at one stage.
After the victory, Ashutosh dedicated his Player-of-the-Match award to Dhawan, acknowledging the impact the veteran left-hander has had on his career.
Ashutosh, who has been picked by DC for INR 3.8 crore at the mega auction, first crossed paths with Dhawan during his stint with Punjab Kings, where he found not just a teammate but a mentor, who had a massive influence in his approach to the game.
"He (Dhawan) was very happy with my knock. He always tells me to stay down to earth and humble. He hasn't taught me much about skills, but his lessons on life, mindset, and approach to the game have changed my life a lot," Ashutosh said.
Reflecting on Dhawan's influence during his stint with Punjab, he acknowledged the veteran batter's guidance.
"He's kind of a mentor. Ever since our first camp in Punjab, he's been a mentor to me. And that's when my journey started.
"After that, I worked on mentally. Not on my skills, because everyone's skills are different. But he asked me to work on my mindset, how to deal with yourself, how you manifest yourself, all this has helped me a lot."
For the Railwayman, sticking to the process is the most important thing.
"I am very clear in my thoughts. I always focus on my work. The process is important to me. If you follow the process well, the results will come. That's what I believe in," the 26-year-old said during the JioStar - Delhi Capitals Press Room on Friday.
Following his heroics, Ashutosh celebrated with a 'switch hit' gesture -- a homage to Delhi Capitals' mentor Kevin Pietersen who was watching from the dugout.
"When the batting started, he was telling me again and again that you can do it, you can do it. And I felt really good. So, I thought, let's finish this game and celebrate like KP."
The former England captain, who joined the franchise before IPL 2024, has played a pivotal role in instilling confidence in the young batter, particularly in finishing matches under pressure.
"They (Dhawan and KP) tell me a lot of things -- how to approach the game, their attitude towards it, and how to handle pressure situations. The key lesson I've learned is to remain calm in crunch moments and keep my head clear," he added.
Advice from MSD
Ashutosh has also had the privilege of interacting with MS Dhoni during a match against Chennai Super Kings last season and he said getting a advice from the 'Captain Cool'.
"Yes, I did talk to him. When we had a match against CSK, I talked to him about the situation, how you would bat, what you think. He told me a lot of things. It's a secret."
"You learn a lot from those legends of the game. How they approach the game, how they put everything into their game. I feel very happy and grateful that I play with all of them," he added.
The dynamic hitter also shared insights into his meticulous preparation, revealing that he had been practising range-hitting in the off-season as it has helped him counter wide yorkers effectively.
"Yeah, I've practiced a lot for that. Whenever we don't have a season or matches, I practice range hitting for 2-3 hours. With the side cover and spinners, alone in the center of the wicket. It helps me a lot."
Hitting wide yorkers for six is considered one of the most difficult shots in T20 cricket.
Asked if any physical attributes -- like power or height -- gives him an edge, he emphasised that success comes down to sheer hard work.
"No, it's nothing like that. It's about how hard you work to play that ball. And when you're in the match, in the practice session, what kind of hard work do you do? And how many shots do you take on that ball?
"So, there are a lot of things. But hard work is the main thing for that shot," he concluded.
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