There was much more to Chetan Sharma than the stomach high full toss that Javed Miandad dispatched for six.
A slightly built fast-medium bowler, for a while he was a Little Hurricane in Indian cricket, hailing from the same state as the original Haryana Hurricane in the form of Kapil Dev. He partnered Kapil with the ball, often with distinction, and tried to match his exploits with the bat as well. His talent was nowhere near the ace all-rounder but he did manage decent shows with the leather, and sometimes even with the willow.
As an 18-year-old, Chetan captured a wicket off the fifth ball of his first over in Test cricket, hitting the stumps of Mohsin Khan. Although Test success was not very regular, he did put in every ounce of effort and managed 5-wicket hauls in surfaces and atmospheres as varied as Colombo and Edgbaston. Especially brilliant was his 5 for 64 at Lord’s, 1986, which was one of the features of India’s historic win.
He captured 16 wickets in the 2 Tests he played in that series. The other notable performance was the 5 for 55 against West Indies at Delhi which enabled India to get back in the game after being bowled out for 75. In between he came in as night-watchman at Adelaide and batted almost two hours to score 54.
More striking were his exploits in ODIs. His most famous feat was capturing the first hat-trick for India during the Reliance Cup, but he had other accomplishments. He showed growing maturity as a batsman in the three-nation Benson & Hedges tournament in 1985-86, hitting Richard Hadlee for 16 in an over, and then batting with splendid temperament in the crucial qualifying game against the same opponents. And of course, there was the surprise century against England after being sent in as the pinch hitter in the MRF World Series.
However, by 1989, his form deserted him. He lost his place in the Test side and there were a gamut of young pace bowlers knocking on the doors of selection. He stuck around in the fringes, playing a few ODIs, but when Stephen Fleming and Adam Parore took 23 from his over in 1994, it was a signal that time was up.
Later he became a commentator.
Arunabha Sengupta
Career | M | In | R | NO | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
Test | 23 | 27 | 396 | 9 | 54 | 22.00 | 635 | 62.36 | 0 | 1 | 25 | -- | 7 | 0 |
ODIs | 65 | 35 | 456 | 16 | 101* | 24.00 | 504 | 90.47 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
T20s | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
World Cup | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0* | 0.000 | 1 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | -- |
Career | M | B | R | W | Avg | EC | SR | 5WI | 10WM | BBI | BBM |
Test | 23 | 3470 | 2163 | 61 | 35.45 | 3.740 | 56. | 4 | 1 | 6/58 | 10/188 |
ODIs | 65 | 2835 | 2336 | 67 | 34.86 | 4.943 | 42.31 | 0 | 0 | 3/22 | 3/22 |
T20s | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
World Cup | 4 | 217 | 170 | 6 | 28.33 | 4.700 | 36.16 | 0 | -- | 3/51 | 3/22 |
Test Debut
Pakistan v India at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, October 17, 1984
Last Test
West Indies v India at Sabina Park, Kingston, April 28, 1989
ODI Debut
India v West Indies at Keenan Stadium, Jamshedpur, December 7, 1983
Last ODI
India v West Indies at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, November 11, 1994
Chetan Sharma said that he feels privileged to serve Indian cricket again and claims his action will speak louder than words.
The BCCI appointed former India pacer Chetan Sharma as the new chairman of the selection committee, which also picked Abbey Kuruvilla ...
Meanwhile, former Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar is in the pole position to grab the chairman's post in case he decides to re-apply for ...
Miandad's last-ball six still remains an unforgettable epic.
Chetan Sharma says Shami's control over reverse swing is the reason why he's so effective in fourth innings.
Sharma said that with the ICC World Test Championship in progress, Bumrah is crucial for the Virat Kohli-led Indian team.
While India boast a better record overall, New Zealand lead 4-3 in World Cups.
We recall when Chetan Sharma became the first bowler to take a hat-trick at the WC and Sunil Gavaskar scored his maiden century
A snapshot of the most iconic spells bowled by Indian bowlers in Test matches in England
India had drawn two and lost eight of their first 10 Tests at Lord's. This was their 11th attempt.
A list of the 12 finest, from Chris Old's outrageous fifty to Kedar Jadhav's cramp-fighting epic.
Five wickets at Lord’s, ten at Edgbaston, a hat-trick, a hundred... why would they remember Chetan Sharma for that last-ball six and no more?
Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh - 1st Test
BAN 510/4 OVERS: 163.1
Zimbabwe vs Pakistan - 2nd T20I
Zimbabwe
Match begins at 14:30 IST (09:00 GMT)
Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians - Match 17
Punjab Kings
Match begins at 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT)
Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh - 2nd Test
29 Apr, 2021 10:00 IST
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Zimbabwe vs Pakistan - 1st Test
29 Apr, 2021 13:00 IST
Harare Sports Club, Harare
24 Apr, 2021 13:00 IST
Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur
Zimbabwe vs Pakistan - 3rd T20I
25 Apr, 2021 14:30 IST
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Match 19
25 Apr, 2021 15:30 IST
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals - Match 24
29 Apr, 2021 15:30 IST
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - Match 28
02 May, 2021 15:30 IST
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals - Match 35
08 May, 2021 15:30 IST
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings - Match 37
09 May, 2021 15:30 IST
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Match 18
24 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals - Match 20
25 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Match 21
26 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Match 22
27 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - Match 23
28 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Match 25
29 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Match 26
30 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings - Match 27
01 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals - Match 29
02 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Match 30
03 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians - Match 31
04 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings - Match 32
05 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Punjab Kings - Match 33
06 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings - Match 34
07 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians - Match 36
08 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - Match 38
09 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Match 39
10 May, 2021 19:30 IST
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals - Match 40
11 May, 2021 19:30 IST
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Match 41
12 May, 2021 19:30 IST
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Match 18
24 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST | 14:00 GMT
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Match 19
25 Apr, 2021 15:30 IST | 10:00 GMT
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals - Match 20
25 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST | 14:00 GMT
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Match 21
26 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST | 14:00 GMT
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Match 22
27 Apr, 2021 19:30 IST | 14:00 GMT
Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals - Match 16
Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Rajasthan Royals by 10 wickets
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings - Match 15
Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 18 runs
Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - Match 14
Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Punjab Kings by 9 wickets
Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians - Match 13
Delhi Capitals beat Mumbai Indians by 6 wickets
Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals - Match 12
Chennai Super Kings beat Rajasthan Royals by 45 runs