India’s first day of pink-ball game was remarkable for Ishant Sharma. The player picked five wickets of the Bangladeshi players. After 12 years, the player registered his second five-wicket haul in the home Test match. This was his 10th five-wicket haul in his Test cricket career.
Ishant Sharma with his leg cutter sent Imrul Kayes back to the dressing room and picked the first wicket for India. Mahmudullah, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadat Hossain and Mehidy Hasan were the preys of Ishant Sharma’s fast bowling.
The pacer was in-form with the pink ball and the Tigers had no luck to face the spearheaded Ishant Sharma. He detects that the pink ball behaves differently from the red ball and after discussing with the teammates he got the right-length to bowl.
“It was a lot different from the red ball. Initially, we bowled the right length but did not get any swing. Then we realized at what length we have to hit and we discussed among ourselves and found out the right length to bowl with the pink ball,” said Ishant in the post-match press conference.
Now I don’t think much – Ishant Sharma
In 2007, Ishant made the Test debut against Bangladesh. The player has been a regular in the Test team. He has picked 288 wickets after the end of the first innings of this Test match.
Ishant has been dropped from the limited-overs format. He last played the ODI in 2016 and T20I in 2013. Now, the player doesn’t care for his place as he says that he has now learnt to enjoy the game.
I’m enjoying my cricket right now. Initially, I used to take more pressure on my performance, to take wickets and beat batsmen so many things. Now I don’t think much. Obviously, I’ve got experience now so I adjust my length according to the conditions quickly,” Ishant said.
“Yes, it feels sad sometimes. But I’ve reached a stage in life I’ve stopped worrying about those things. I’m now 31 and if I start worrying about in which format I’m in then I cannot perform. I just want to play, be it Ranji Trophy or India. That’s a simple thing. If you enjoy playing you do well. If you start cribbing for small things you can never improve.”
Talking about the game, Bangladesh top-order was rattled by Umesh Yadav and, as usual, Mohammed Shami picked two wickets. The visitors were bundled out on 106 runs. The day one ended with India losing the wickets of the top-order batting.