Kartik Sharma, who was one of the major talking points of IPL 2026 auction regarding uncapped batters, narrated a very personal story how he got to have his father to thank for the power hitting talent he possessed at a very young age.
The auction for IPL 2026, which took place in Abu Dhabi on December 16, saw the young batter, whose talent was previously known only in domestic circuits, creating a buzz in the market and almost inviting a bidding war among the former winners of the championship, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
CSK, which walked into the IPL 2026 auction with the second-largest budget, ended up grabbing it for a stunning INR 14.2 crores, thus tying it as the most expensive uncapped player in the history of IPL auction along with Prashant Veer, his teammate from CSK. With his capacity to connect the ball and do wicketkeeping duties, Kartik is considered a great choice for the next-gen CSK setup.
Kartik Sharma Tells How He Got His Power-Hitting Techniques
On Jatin Sapru’s YouTube channel, this 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan who has a unique style of hitting narrated how he practiced unconventional batting under his father’s guidance.
“My dad would threaten to hit me if I did not defend the balls. That helped me to increase my power-hitting skills,” Kartik stated. “The coach would make me practice defensive shots, but my father would yell at me saying that he would beat me if I defended the ball. The coach even spoke to my dad about it, but he still wanted me to hit sixes at home.”
Jatin Sapru, the presenter of the talk show, was completely taken aback by this tale and he expressed that he finds it very captivating. He also mentioned that in the past, coaches had very strict rules, and youngsters would get scolded if they played even a single shot in the air.
However, his father’s vision and his skills shine through the fearless mindset that has made Kartik one of the most talented middle-order batters. The stats speak for themselves: during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26, the 19 year old batter scored 133 runs in five innings with a remarkable strike rate of 160.24. He also scored seven fours and 11 sixes showing his capability of hitting big. To sum up, Kartik Sharma’s T20 career statistics back up his potential. Until now, he has made a total of 334 runs at a strike rate of 164, with 28 sixes, in his short career.
Kartik Sharma is Not a Fan of Any Cricketer
Kartik also emphasized that he doesn’t have any cricketer he admires above all the rest, but he rather learns their signature shots and implements them in his game.
“I don’t have a specific favorite player. Still, I gained much from Rohit Sharma’s pull shot, Kohli’s cover drive, and Suresh Raina’s lofted drive when he comes down the pitch,” he said.
As the IPL is knocking at the door, the attention will be on the young talent from Rajasthan and how he will apply the backyard lessons and his father’s brave advice on the field for the yellow brigade.
At the moment, the right-handed batsman is likely to miss the first part of the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, which starts on December 24. He is currently nursing his finger injury and might play for Rajasthan in the latter part of the tournament but there is no information on how many games he will miss.
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