Published: Jun 17, 2011, 11:52 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 26, 2014, 12:36 PM (IST)
By Karthik Parimal
Just three years ago, many reckoned Ishant Sharma was probably the solution to India’s dearth in the fast bowling department when he had Ricky Ponting hopping in the crease like a cat on a hot tin roof in the series against Australia. But somewhere down the line, this tall, intense and intimidating fast bowler lost his fizz. However, with the Test series against the West Indies set to kick off in less than a week, Ishant now has a golden opportunity to cement his place in the side as India’s premier bowler alongside Zaheer Khan.
With his high-arm action and the ability to clock a decent bowling speed, young Ishant can definitely torment any opposition batsman and play a match-winner’s role. Perhaps bowling continuously on slow, flat Indian pitches has mitigated his efficiency. At the start of his career, he was extremely dangerous pitching the ball around the good length area. Because of the speed he generated then – at times in excess of 150 kmph – and his deftness in moving the ball both ways, it made life disconcerting for the batsmen. His short deliveries were an asset as well. But, like many other Indian fast bowlers, Ishant lost his place and became a far-less-effective and far-less-dangerous medium-pacer.
There have been many instances of fast bowlers reducing their pace to prolong their careers. But Ishant is young and just at the start of his career. Pace is his lethal weapon and its something the Indian team badly needs.
Although he showed glimpses of brilliance and a possible return to form in the recently- concluded Indian Premier League (IPL), there were also a few instances when batsmen played him with ease. His confidence may have been dented because he has not been able to command a regular place in the national team since the last couple of years. Ishant needs to believe in himself and seek inspiration from Steve Waugh, who once described him as the next best thing in Indian cricket. Waugh is not given to doling out loose praise or making PR statements. And the man knows a thing or two about what genuine quick bowling is all about.
Ishant is still young and has ample time to rectify his mistakes and optimize his talents. He has faced rejection and failure quite early in his cricketing career which is important and welcome lesson in itself as nothing teaches like failure. Venkatesh Prasad defined Ishant as the most disciplined and hard-working cricketer. All he needs is an injection of confidence. Ishant’s current situation is similar to that of Zaheer Khan’s position in the team a few years ago. Zaheer too was haunted by frequent injuries and lack of confidence. He failed to understand the root cause of all his predicaments. However, a part of Zaheer’s misfortune can be attributed to the turmoil in Indian cricket back then. Nonetheless, Zaheer successfully managed to circumvent all his issues, partially due to a good stint with Worcestershire, and has now become one of the most dominant bowlers in the world. It is time Ishant took a cue from Zaheer Khan.
Here on, Ishant will have to start believing in himself and his abilities rather than succumb to the pressures of expectations. The Test series against the West Indies can be a fresh start considering the fact that the pitches in the Caribbean are balanced and not biased towards the batsmen, like the ones in India. Although the bounce from the track does not cause a great deal of discomfort to the batsmen, Ishant can still be dangerous if he bends his back and put his wrists behind the seam.
Among the current lot of bowlers, apart from Zaheer, Ishant undoubtedly looks the most promising after Praveen Kumar. However, Praveen operates primarily on swing while Ishant partly relies on raw pace. Although Zaheer has a lot of cricket left in him, Ishant is most likely the candidate to take over the baton from Zaheer as India’s sprearhead. Munaf Patel’s fitness and Sreesanth’s temperamental nature curbs the efficiency of these two bowlers and that gives Ishant a distinct edge over them to be recognized as India’s next premier bowler.
If Ishant can capitalize on this opportunity and make it count, it will be a huge relief to the selectors who have persistently kept faith in him. Also, India will not want another Irfan Pathan– like story by wasting such a precocious youngster. Let us hope that while the sun is shining in the West Indies, Lady Luck shines on Ishant Sharma.
(If cricket is a religion and has many devotees, Karthik Parimal would be a primary worshipper. This 23 year old graduate student, pursuing his Masters in Engineering, could be an appropriate example of how the layers of what inspires, motivates and keeps one happy run deeply in our daily lives. He, unlike others, is not too disappointed about not making it big by playing for the country, but believes that he plays the sport every day with his heart by watching and writing on it)
