The Kolkata Knight Riders have made a strong start to the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League. The side is currently second in the points table with three wins in five matches and will return to action tomorrow night when it faces the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Shreyas Iyer-led team had made a winning start to the edition, defeating defending champions Chennai Super Kings in their opening game; the side registered further victories against Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians.
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The KKR are one of the four franchises in the tournament that completed its full quota of 25 players in the mega auction that preceded the current season. Among those players was Rajasthan's Ashok Sharma, who was picked for INR 55 lakh by the franchise. The KKR faced a bidding war with Rajasthan Royals for his signature before eventually succeeding in Ashok's acquisition at the mega auction.
In a story on their official website, the Knight Riders have revealed that they had made “special request” for Ashok Sharma to be included in the auction, since the bowler hasn't appeared in domestic cricket so far.
"During the pandemic, he attended the Red Bull trials in Jaipur and was picked as a net bowler for Rajasthan Royals in the first phase of the IPL hosted in India last year.
{{/usCountry}}"During the pandemic, he attended the Red Bull trials in Jaipur and was picked as a net bowler for Rajasthan Royals in the first phase of the IPL hosted in India last year.
{{/usCountry}}“Dishant Yagnik, Rajasthan Royals’ fielding coach, sent out Sharma’s bowling videos to various IPL franchises after which he was invited to trials with the Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals,” KKR wrote on their official website.
“Having impressed the KKR management, they made a special request for Sharma’s name to be added to the IPL Auction this year after he was ineligible to apply due to no domestic experience. The BCCI obliged. At the auction, KKR and RR both bid for him before the Knight Riders secured his services for INR 55 Lakhs.”
At the KKR, Ashok is working alongside India's former bowling coach Bharat Arun and rubbing shoulders with some of the leading fast bowlers in the world including Pat Cummins and Umesh Yadav.