Ranji Trophy: Armed with MS Dhoni’s advice, Kartik Sharma set for captaincy debut

Jaipur: When Kartik Sharma, a young wicketkeeper-batter from Bharatpur district, marked his guard on his red-ball debut two seasons ago, he announced his arrival with authority. He slammed a blistering 115 off 113 balls against Uttarakhand in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. That initial breakthrough set the tone for a domestic journey built on an unwavering appetite for runs.He truly became elemental to the chatter last year when his explosive six-hitting ability during pre-season trials caught the eye of various IPL franchises, culminating in a Rs14.20 crore contract with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Now, at just 20 years of age, he finds himself thrust with the bigger responsibility of leading the senior Rajasthan side. Following left-arm spinner Manav Suthar's departure to New Zealand for India ‘A’ duty, the young 'keeper-batter steps up to lead a side riding high on confidence, having secured three points via a crucial first-innings lead in their opener against Tamil Nadu in Group ‘D’ fixture.Speaking on the eve of the clash against Railways, Kartik opened up about taking over the captaincy reins and said, "I have captained Rajasthan during Under-19 days. I will try to make the team as comfortable as I can. There are a few seniors while most of them are my contemporaries in the side, so I will ensure I remain as humble with them as possible."Kartik’s gritty knock of 42 off 75 balls in the second innings against Tamil Nadu showcased a new dimension to his batting. He credits his high-stakes stint under CSK umbrella for sharpening his match awareness and instilling the patience required to play according to the situationA definitive piece of advice from franchise veteran MS Dhoni has shifted his approach away from brute force toward timing and technical precision. "When I went to Chennai I was a little injured and that is why my batting wasn't going very well. Bhaiya told me to focus on timing. He said that you aren't someone who hits power shots, whatever your timing is, that is your power, so play according to that,” he shared.Kartik has seamlessly integrated this sense of responsibility into his batting, balancing his natural boundary-clearing instincts with a refined technique. “Six-hitting is definitely there, but I am also working on grounded shots and doing my practice for that," he added.Addressing the composition of a dressing room that is decidedly youthful, Kartik sees the clean slate as a strength rather than a setback. "Nothing negative, just the positive is that all are young boys, young blood, so everyone plays together," Kartik stated.Rajasthan enter the fixture holding a distinct psychological edge from their previous outing, while Railways arrive looking to bounce back hard after conceding a first-innings lead to Uttarakhand.For Kartik and his youthful troops, the overarching objective remains focused on the ultimate prize. "The target is to win as many matches as possible," Kartik concluded.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.