Sandeep Sharma has been the top-5 bowler of Indian Premier League (IPL): Ravichandran Ashwin

Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals (RR) spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lauded the exceptional performance of pacer Sandeep Sharma, hailing him as one of the top-5 bowlers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and emphasizing his pivotal role in Rajasthan Royal's 20 run triumph over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Sunday.

Sharma bowled a brilliant 19th over, giving just 11 overs, leaving Avesh Khan to defend 27 in the final six balls. Avesh was outstanding with his wide outside yorker and delivered on the captain’s expectations as he gave only six runs. It was an anticlimactic end for the Giants as they lost the match by 20 runs.

Sandeep Sharma's resilience and commitment were highlighted by Ashwin, who described him as a gritty fighter willing to do the "dirty work" for the team. Despite claiming just one wicket, Sandeep's contribution was instrumental in halting LSG's progress, notably dismissing the dangerous K.L. Rahul during their chase of 194 runs.

“The game is built by perceptions, if you look at the way Sandy has bowled, he has been a top-5 bowler in the IPL. He's a character, who does the dirty work for us, and did a lot to cover for Prasidh in the last season as well. I see him as a fighter. In a T20 game, a bowler with a fight is more important than a bowler with skills,” said Ashwin said in the post-match presentation. IANS

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