Under-fire Indian pacer Ishant Sharma, whose sloppy bowling cost India the third One-Day International (ODI) against Australia on Saturday, worked overtime with bowling coach Joe Dawes on Monday even as his teammates took a day's break ahead of their fourth match in Ranchi on Wednesday.
Ishant Sharma’s career is at the crossroads. From being "the best thing that’s happened to Indian cricket" in 2007 to Saturday’s massacre in Mohali, this Delhi speedster has failed even the best of his admirers.
A friend and die-hard cricket fan posted on Facebook after Ishant Sharma’s crucial over in which he gave away 30 runs to bring Australia back into Saturday’s One-Day International (ODI) at Mohali: 'Cricket is a batter’s game, more so in the shorter version which is harsher on a bowler than in Test cricket."
Top-order batsman Adam Voges on Sunday described Australia's thrilling four-wicket victory over India in the third One-Day International (ODI) as "outstanding".
Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson on Saturday said James Faulkner’s knock of 64 not out 'outshone’ Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s century in the third One-Day International (ODI), which the tourists won by a margin of four wickets.
After the magnificent game between India and Australia on Saturday, all the focus was definitely on Ishant Sharma. Australia needed 44 runs from 18 balls and they achieved their target with three balls to spare. Now the batsman who scored most of those runs deserves at least equal attention — James Faulkner. Shrikant Shankar explains why Faulkner is the best-bet in Australia’s search for a consistent all-rounder.
Despite some dismal performances by a few players, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday came out strongly in their support, saying that frequent changes might hamper the team in the long run.
Ishant Sharma bore the brunt of James Faulkner's conscious decision to go after seamers in the third ODI and the game-changing Australian all-rounder offered his sympathies to the Indian spearhead, saying that every bowler has days when he ends up looking "silly out there".
Ishant Sharma, once touted as India’s next big fast-bowler, has been a huge disappointment and his performance in the third One-Day International (ODI) against Australia at Mohali has intensified calls for his axing. Nishad Pai Vaidya revisits Ishant’s shambolic over at the death and recalls Chetan Sharma’s fateful over against Pakistan in 1986. The statistics also reflect Ishant’s struggle as a one-day bowler.
Ishant Sharma, the senior-most bowler in the Indian team, was carted for 30 runs in the 48th over of the Australian innings. His bowling at the death against Australia at Mohali in the third One-Day International (ODI) was not only appalling, but way too ordinary for international level. Ishant looked clueless. However, it brought to light India’s perennial problem of bowling at the death. Aayush Puthran examines the situation and elucidates why India should make room for a bowler purely for his ability to bowl well in the latter part of the innings in their bid to defend the world title in 2015.