Ishant Sharma celebrates his 27th birthday today. The towering pacer made his debut for India way back in 2007. His journey with the Indian team has been full of ups and downs. While he has often been maligned and mocked on the social media for his high economy rate, one must also not forget his contribution to the Indian cricket team.
Sharma has been a vital cog in the success achieved by team India. His exhilarating spell to Ricky Ponting at the WACA in January 2008 was among the most defining moments of his career. Sharma, due to his height generated steep bounce and also got some seam movement off the deck which made a legend like Ricky Ponting look like an ordinary club batsman! His dismissal of Ponting later turned out to be the turning point in the game. India went on to create history by beating the Kangaroos at their fortress in Perth.
Ishant Sharma was also India’s hero in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 triumph. Sharma, rose from the ashes in the rain curtailed final against England. Till his last over, he had been easily countered by the English batsmen, and the total to be defended was a low one. Thus everyone was already blaming Ishant for the misery. But then Ishant stood up, dismissing the well set Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara in successive deliveries. This handed India an ICC event as Sharma transformed himself from the villain to the hero!
But the one spell from Ishant which tops the charts is his spell against England at the Lord’s. India desperately needed to win an overseas test, and Ishant rose to the occasion and his burst of short balls to the English did the trick! Ishant took as many as 7 English wickets to ensure that India emerged victorious at the home of cricket. This definitely has to be his best spell of his career.
Nothing like watching Ishant Sharma’s best spell on his birthday! Below, is the video of that epic spell of bowling