It has been a fruitful last couple of years for India’s veteran pacer Ishant Sharma. The lanky pacer has taken giant strides in the recent past and the results are a testimony of the same. The experienced pacer was always trolled for not delivering the goods despite all the experience under his belt. However, the Delhi fast bowler has turned the tides in the last couple of seasons.
Ishant scalped 25 wickets in the six Test matches at an impressive average of 15.56 in 2019 as he bowled at the top of his mark. The Indian spearhead has given credit to his Sussex coach Jason Gillespie for his massive transformation.
Ishant is the leader of the pack now.
Meanwhile, Indian players going into the County cricket and improving themselves is not a new story as many in the past have benefitted from the same.
Ishant added that Gillespie was instrumental in telling the solution to the problems in his bowling.
“The problem in India is that everybody tells you about the problem but no one tells you the solution. Now knowing the solution is an important aspect,” Ishant told reporters during an interaction at the Feroz Shah Kotla after the Ranji Trophy encounter against Hyderabad.
Ishant was able to find the solutions.
“I have realized that maybe one or two people worked on the solutions. The problem everyone can tell you but one who is a good coach will tell you about solutions,” said the veteran of 96 Tests and 292 wickets.
So what was his problem? “A lot of people would tell me that I need to increase the pace of my fuller deliveries. No one told me how to do that? It was when I went to play county cricket, Jason Gillespie gave me the solution,” said Ishant, who played for Sussex under Gillespie’s coaching.
“Gillespie told me that in order to increase the pace in fuller deliveries, you don’t just release it but hit the deck so that it should target the knee roll,” he said.
Ishant revealed he was not practicing properly and changed his methods when Gillespie showed him the right path. The Delhi pacer added Gillespie made sure that Ishant’s pace increased in the fuller length balls.
“Like first, I would put cones (on good length spots) during nets. But that’s okay for a youngster, who wants to get his areas right but for someone like me, I need to see where my ball is finishing rather than where it’s pitched. The practice is almost the same but the outcome is different. Gillespie’s instructions ensured that my fuller delivery is faster now.”
Ishant Sharma is now the leader of India’s bowling line-up and he is also helping the likes of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav mushroom under his tutelage.