‘Let’s Finish This & Celebrate Like...’: Ashutosh Sharma Speaks On His Tribute To Kevin Pietersen With His Post-Match Gesture

Ashutosh Sharma, who is the Delhi Capitals ' 3.8 Crore steal at the IPL mega auction, has expressed that he intended to celebrate like the team's mentor, Kevin Pietersen. Sharma brought out the switch-hit gesture, a move which was popularized by the former England Cricket great after DC defeated the Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2025 season opener clash. Ashutosh's tribute made rounds as Pietersen watched him rise to success and sensationalism from the dugout.

Ashutosh Sharma Reveals The Inspiration Behind The ‘Switch-Hit’ Celebration

Delhi Capitals began their campaign with a thriller win over the Lucknow Super Giants at Vizag, with Ashutosh Sharma emerging as the next big thing in Indian cricket. The 26-year-old delivered a smashing innings to push DC towards a win and snatched the glory away from LSG. The Rishabh Pant -led side looked firm in the competition, but Ashutosh's miraculous knock gave DC the perfect start they needed. Sharma recently spoke of his match-winning gesture and why he intended to do so.

"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.

"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," Ashutosh Sharma said during the JioStar - Delhi Capitals Press Room on Friday, as quoted by PTI.

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Delhi Capitals Look Ahead Upon New Challenges In IPL 2025

After defeating the Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals' attention would shift to their next opponents. Sunrisers Hyderabad are a force to be reckoned with and their destructive top-order batters — Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan — have game-changing abilities.

Notably, SRH is coming off a loss after they were defeated by the Lucknow Super Giants. Kishan was dismissed for a golden duck while Abhishek perished at six runs. With the Capitals' recent success, the match becomes unpredictable. However, Hyderabad would be hungry, and they would be on the hunt for success.

The Delhi-Hyderabad clash will take place at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, March 30, 2025.

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