Ishant Sharma’s absence from the four-match Test series against Australia has turned out to be one major topic which had often come for discussions.
Ishant Sharma had played a major pivotal role in India’s first-ever Test series win on Australian soil in 2018-19 picking 11 wickets in 3 games and his absence is sure to take some pace off India’s potent pace attack led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.
Ishant Sharma Was Persisted By MS Dhoni Who Turned Him Into A Better Pacer: Ajit Agarkar
India are still pondering over Ishant Sharma’s replacement for the first Test against Australia, which will be the first-ever day-night pink ball affair between the two sides starting from Thursday 17th December, former India pacer Ajit Agarkar shared his thoughts on the lanky pacer. Ajit Agarkar pointed out how former India captain MS Dhoni turned Ishant Sharma into a better bowler.
Ishant Sharma, who burst onto the scene with a menacing spell against former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting in 2008-09 where he picked 15 wickets in the series, lacked the ability to take crucial wickets in a bunch. He was always a bankable option but never lived up to expectations by becoming the match-winner. Ajit Agarkar explained how MS Dhoni persisted with him to get the best out of the Delhi born pacer.
Ishant Sharma’s best came in West Indies during India’s tour in 2011 where he picked 22 wickets in 3 tests averaging 16.86. He also picked up 9 wickets in India’s first day-night pink ball test against Bangladesh in 2019 at Kolkata.
“MS Dhoni, when he was captain, used him as that guy who just bowled a lot of overs in the day and then got a few wickets, and he had his main strike bowlers whom he kept rotating,” Agarkar told Sony Sports Network ahead of the first Test.
Ishant Sharma might miss the Australia Test series due to a side strain injury he picked up in the IPL 2020 which has recently concluded in UAE but Ajit Agarkar said the veteran of 97 Tests deserves the credit for maintaining his fitness for such a long time since debuting in 2007.
Ishant Sharma Has Excellent Fitness For Not Playing Limited Overs: Ajit Agarkar
The 32-year-old Ishant Sharma last played an ODI way back in 2016 and T20I in 2013 as he lost out with the emergence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. Ishant Sharma who debuted in 2007 has 297 wickets in 97 appearances besides featuring in 80 ODIs and 14 T20Is.
“Fitness is one of the things that has kept him in good stead throughout his career. Anyone who’s played over 90 Tests has to have good fitness. And his bowling started to improve, started to impress… one of the reasons was because he doesn’t play white-ball cricket, he’s always a lot fresher once he comes into a Test series. His bowling doesn’t fall as much when he’s tired. That’s why his lengths are better,” he said.
Umesh Yadav appears to be ahead of others and the front-runner to grab the third seamer’s spot in the first Test at Adelaide. However, he will receive tough competition from Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini, both of whom are yet to debut in tests.