“There was a time when I wasn’t even allowed to get a feel of the cricket ground,” Ashutosh Sharma stated revealing the hardest section of his cricket life, a day after enjoying probably the most eventful match of his quick profession. The 25-year-old Railways cricketer, whose 31 off 17 balls earned Punjab Kings a creditable win in a high-scoring chase in opposition to Gujarat Titans, was talking concerning the time between 2020-22 when he did not know the place his profession was heading.

He had fallen out of favour with India’s most celebrated home coach Chandrakant Pandit, who had then simply taken over as MP head coach.

“I would go to the gym and retire to my hotel room. I was sinking into depression and no one told me what my fault was. A new coach had joined Madhya Pradesh and he had strong likes and dislikes and despite scoring 90 odd in 45 balls in a trial match, I was dropped from the team,” Ashutosh stated with out naming the coach.

Though he didn’t point out Pandit however it’s clear he was referring to Pandit.

After pacer Gourav Yadav (former MP pacer), and Namibia’s David Wiese (former KKR all-rounder), now Ashutosh has railed in opposition to the Mumbaikar’s “my way or high way” model of teaching.

“I had three fifties in six Mushtaq Ali games in the previous season yet I wouldn’t even be allowed to go to the ground. I was very depressed,” the angst was seen in 25-year-old’s voice as he spoke to reporters.

It was a job provide from Railways that when once more helped him get out of the opening and final 12 months he equalled Yuvraj Singh‘s report of quickest T20 fifty in 11 balls in opposition to minnows Arunachal Pradesh through the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

It earned him an public sale bid for Punjab Kings as crew’s batting coach and former Railway legend Sanjay Bangar noticed him.

But if there may be anybody who makes Ashutosh emotional is his childhood coach Amay Khurasiya, the previous India left-hander, who has seen him on the MPCA Academy since age of 12. Khurasiya was there even when Ashutosh was dealing with psychological well being disaster.

“Amay sir knows me since childhood. I got a lot of tips on mental health from him. I speak to him before every game and even before this game I spoke with him. Also inputs from Shikhar Paaji (Dhawan), Sanjay sir on playing proper shots instead of trying to slog helped.”

It is coach’s responsibility to mould a participant, says Khurasiya

Khurasiya could not be extra happier for his ward, who he first noticed on the Indore Academy as a 12 year-old, who had come all the best way from Ratlam to make a profession in cricket.

When requested about how his profession went downhill after Pandit’s outright rejection, Khurasiya spoke about his philosophy.

“You have to empower the kid. Every kid will come from a different socio-economic background. They will have different behavioural pattern. As a coach it my duty to find a connect with the boy rather expect him to connect with me instantly. If his attitude is a problem, it is my duty to bring him around and lead him towards that,” Khurasiya instructed PTI.

But he stated that it’s simpler stated than performed.

“You need to do extensive work on psychological aspect of the child. How you want to align the boy’s cricketing philosophy with yours is not the boy’s problem. It is easy to disregard, disrespect and alienate the boy from system. But if you have the power help, try to help,” stated Khurasiya, whose batting model was forward of its time.

“If he (the coach) is thinking that a boy isn’t going to make mistakes, he is wrong. Boys will make mistakes. The coaches have a tendency to lean towards brilliance. For coaches, it is important to work on EQ (emotional quotient) rather than BQ (brilliancy quotient),” he stated.

Mother remembers a child’s lonely combat

It is rarely straightforward to dwell alone in your pre-teen days and Ashutosh did have his share of struggles after his mother and father left him in Indore to hone cricket expertise as Ratlam by no means had the amenities.

“That time was very difficult as I had to stay away from home in Indore. I had my share of struggles, at times. I didn’t have money to buy food, so I would be umpiring to ensure one meal is ensured, staying in a very small accommodation, I had to wash my clothes, but MPCA academy helped me. Amay sir helped me a lot,” Ashitish recalled.

His mom Hemlata Sharma stated that they’re a mean middle-class household however there have been no monetary struggles as such.

“Ashutosh’s father (Rambabu Sharma) works at ESI Hospital in Ratlam. We didn’t have financial struggles but from a young age Ashutosh had his own struggle. And it was when he joined Railways, uske sitaare chamak uthe,” Hemlata stated.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)