Big blow for Ashutosh Sharma as injury rules him out from this match

Indian all-rounder Ashutosh Sharma will miss Hampshire’s One-Day Cup match against Derbyshire on Tuesday due to an injury he sustained during Sunday’s game.

Hampshire announced Ashutosh’s absence in their squad preview for the match but did not reveal details about the injury or its severity.

“Ashutosh Sharma is unavailable due to an injury he picked up during Sunday’s match – pace bowler Harry Petrie, who featured in the opening three games of the competition, comes back in,” Hampshire said in a statement on Tuesday.

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Ashutosh struggles with the bat but shines with ball

Ashutosh has had a mixed season with the bat in the One-Day Cup, scoring only 56 runs in seven matches, with a top score of 16. However, at 28 years old, he has made a strong impact with the ball, becoming Hampshire’s leading wicket-taker.

Bowling medium pace, Ashutosh has taken 14 wickets at an average of 15.92, which has been a significant positive despite his batting struggles.

His injury occurs at a critical time for Hampshire, which is currently fourth in its group with four wins out of seven matches. They are facing a tough challenge to qualify for the next stage of the competition.

Harry Petrie returns as Ashutosh’s replacement

Petrie’s return gives Hampshire a replacement for Ashutosh, as he participated in the county’s first three matches of the tournament.

It is still unclear how serious Ashutosh’s injury is and whether it will affect his availability beyond Tuesday’s match.

Ashutosh Sharma’s IPL record with Delhi Capitals

Ashutosh, 27, plays for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a franchise co-owned by GMR Group, which also owns Hampshire. Over the last two IPL seasons, he has scored more than 350 runs for DC, with an impressive strike rate of 170 and an average of 31.25.

He began his domestic career with Madhya Pradesh in 2017 and later moved to Railways. Ashutosh has played in 92 matches across all formats. In the 50-over format, he has scored 458 runs and taken two wickets in 21 List A matches.

He made his mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Punjab Kings, where he debuted as an Impact Substitute, scoring 31 off 17 balls. DC later acquired Ashutosh for Rs 3.80 crore ahead of the 2025 season.

(With IANS Inputs)