Former Indian captain Bishan Bedi is livid with Ishant Sharma’s behaviour in the third Test at SSC that earned Ishant a one-match ban by ICC. While Ishant’s father Vijay Kumar criticised his son for the same, Ishant’s coach Shravan Kumar passed the blame to the aggressive captain Virat Kohli and team director Ravi Shastri, who gleefully ‘endorses’ the skipper’s views. The question here is: what is the harm in an angry Ishant? [Also Read: 12 Brilliant spells by Ishant Sharma]
Not many top cricketers too have an international career spanning over eight years. Ishant has. Breaking into the national team in 2006 and making his Test debut way back in 2007, Ishant has played 65 Tests for India. If you think that is not a lot, then let me remind you that Gautam Gambhir has played 56 Tests, and the fact that Ishant made his Test debut before Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Broad, both of whom entered the 300-wicket club recently. [Also Read: Ishant Sharma’s father backs ICC, asks son to mellow down]
That is how long Ishant has been around. Despite occasional glimpses of brilliance, till the start of the Sri Lanka tour, he didn’t inspire enough confidence. The fact that Ishant has lasted so long despite sub-par numbers has to do with dearth of quality (and match-fit) fast bowlers in India. There was never a doubt over Ishant’s talent: ask Ricky Ponting about the same.
Had Ishant lived up to his true talent then he wouldn’t have been the fifth-slowest of 65 men to make it to the 200-wicket mark (he took 114 innings). Many a time has he given an impression that he was nothing more than a wound-up toy keyed to come and bowl just short of a length. But then, those who saw the Perth spell of 2007-08, or the one that he bowled in Kochi Tuskers in IPL 2011 have often wondered whether it is the same bowler. He was the good Dr Jekyll most of the times and the ruthless Mr Hyde seldom made its appearance. [Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar criticises Ishant Sharma and Dhammika Prasad for the ugly spat]
With 13 wickets from three Tests, Ishant was one of the heroes of India’s historic win in Sri Lanka. Not only did India beat Sri Lanka at home after 22 years, but they also ended a four-year overseas win draught. The world got to see the ‘bad’ side of Ishant when he confronted Dhammika Prasad and other Sri Lankans. But a pumped-up Ishant was hell-bent on getting the better of them, which he did.
As Ishant’s father put it, “He was never so aggressive during his childhood days.” Maybe that aggression bit which the new captain has managed to instil in him has brought out a better bowler. Consider his Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Steyn, the angry pumped-up badass who steams in all day and never shies away from having a go. Off-field, Steyn is one of the nicest blokes, but on it, no batsman is his friend. [Also Read: Ishant Sharma becomes the fourth Indian pacer to enter the 200-wicket club]
If the same is working for Ishant, then why discourage him? After eight years, he is looking like the spearhead of the Indian pace battery. Fast bowlers around the world have been aggressive over years; it was good to see Kohli giving him the space for that. A charged-up fast bowler only intensifies contests. Remember Wahab Riaz bowling to Shane Watson at Adelaide?
Of course, a thin disciplinary line that needs to be drawn. Ishant, like his no-balls, may have stepped out a bit more frequently this time. If Kohli and the team management can define the line properly, a new and pumped-up Ishant is on the cards. That is what Team India might need as they desperately vie to climb the ICC ranking ladder.
(Suvajit Mustafi consumes cricket for lunch, fiction for dinner and munches numerous other snacks throughout the day. Yes, a jack of several trades, all Suvajit dreamt of was being India’s World Cup winning skipper but ended up being a sports writer, author, screenwriter, director, copywriter, graphic designer, sportsmarketer , strategist, entrepreneur, philosopher and traveller. Donning so many hats, it’s cricket which gives him the ultimate high and where he finds solace. He can be followed at @RibsGully and rivu7)
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