Move to Agra, running up debt: What dad Manoj did to make Kartik Sharma cricketer

New Delhi: Manoj Sharma, father of 19-year-old Kartik Sharma who was picked by Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 Auction on Tuesday, left Bharatpur a decade-and-a-half ago to settle in Agra. This was to ensure his five-year-old son gets proper cricket training under Lokendra Chahar, cricketer Deepak Chahar’s father.

Sharma would take tuitions – ran an English speaking course -- and even ran up a debt through loans which he is still paying. The Rs 14 crore jackpot he has hit with Chennai Super Kings will surely help in alleviating the debt.

One of the thing Sharma did for his son Kartik was copy everything that Lokendra did for son Deepak Chahar and nephew Rahul Chahar.

“He has followed what I did with Deepak and Rahul to the T, including the practice schedule -- diet, discipline everything,” says Lokendra Chahar.

“They had passion.”

Manoj lived in a rented accommodation and also rented a property to instal a bowling machine.

While Deepak left regular school after eighth class, Rahul left it after fourth, Kartik didn’t attend regular school at all.

The day would begin at 7 ‘o’ clock in the morning. The first session lasting four hours, till 11 am, would see him do fitness and knocking under Lokendra Chahar.

After that, it’d be a net session from 3 pm to 6 pm, again under Chahar. Then, between 6-8 pm Kartik would face 200-250 balls on the bowling machine overseen by his father. There would be other kids too.

“I realised he would become a cricketer when he was eight. He was never scared of speed and never got tired. He would play big shots even when he was very young, a child.  I have 200-250 students now. Back then too, we had 70-80 kids. He used to play in our senior team and would hit big sixes,” says Chahar.

“The key is that these things require tapasya – a lot of hard work and sacrifice which Kartik’s father was willing to make.”

Kartik has played eight first-class matches – after debuting in November, 2024 – and has scored 479 runs at an average of 43.54. He has hit 24 sixes in first-class.

The right-hander has scored 445 runs in nine one-dayers at an average of 55.62 with 26 sixes. He also has 334 runs in 12 T20s at an average of 30.26 with 28 sixes.

The stint at Chennai Super Kings should be an exciting one.

Tags : Kartik Sharma, Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2026, Auction, cricket, Chahar