Dada's Army Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 Great little article by Monga in praise of Ishant Sharma. It's easy to criticise him for who he's not but sometimes we should credit him for who he is. http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22233969 Quote India could have easily rolled over and died in Johannesburg. It would have been nothing new. A series lost away from home. People asking questions. We have been there before. Apart from Perth in 2007-08, when the team felt victimised in Australia, India don't do well after losing a series. This team, though, has shown it can turn back and bite. It is a far cry from the ones that sleepwalked from one nightmare to another in England in 2011 and in Australia in 2011-12. This team made all the bold calls - "We had the belief, now we have the result," Virat Kohli said - backed it up with batting full of courage and skill and and bowling that was ruthless to bring India a "sweet" victory that "will be remembered for a long time". Most importantly, the joy they felt at this win - led by captain Kohli - in a format fighting for survival shows at least Indian Test cricket is in good hands. When they are celebrating this win, and they deserve to, they will do well to spare a thought for a man who has seen the worst of Indian Test cricket. This win will be extra sweet for the only survivor among those who featured prominently in the two whitewashes in England and Australia. Ishant Sharma bowled uncomplainingly in each of those eight defeats. Others pulled hammies and went home, Ishant turned up at the nets and bowled. Others would bowl poorly and be taken off, Ishant would bowl just well enough to keep getting long spells without any support. Others would bowl within themselves to last a series, Ishant would leave everything on the ground. Australian batsmen off the record would attribute other Indian bowlers' success to the pressure from Ishant's end, but India would ridicule "unlucky Ishant". He had his problems. He was not a strike bowler. His stock length was a little short. He was not a swing bowler. He was a third seamer forced to be the lead seamer because the other options were not reliable. He struggled in ODIs. Whatever Ishant might have been, he was not a shirker. The captain could go to him anytime, and he would be ready to bowl, no matter the situation. He would bowl the dirty overs and the glamour bowlers would swoop in when he would create a breakthrough. Ishant is now India's most experienced Test player and he hardly ever bowls a bad ball nowadays even though he doesn't take wickets by the truckload. He is part of an attack that is fit and skillful and varied. At times, he is still left out on helpful pitches. But when things go bad, he is the man Kohli goes to. Ishant is India's lifeline. He keeps India in games. He gives others a chance to recover and be available to strike when the opposition is vulnerable. "Obviously, I am the senior fast bowler of this team so I have to take the responsibility [of bowling these tough overs]," he said in Centurion. "If I can take responsibility and take those important wickets for the team, I am always up for it." It was assumed he had been dropped when the pitch was green in Cape Town and called up on the brown one at SuperSport Park, but Ishant also clarified he had not been well just before the first Test. Not to say that the team doesn't value him, but nobody in the management bothered to communicate that. In some of India's more memorable wins of late, even dating as far back as Lord's 2014, Ishant has worked when nothing else has. In Bangalore, when India were bowled out for 189 on the first day, Ishant prevented Australia from dominating. It wasn't a pretty spell, his analysis had only one in the last column, but he conceded runs at just 1.77 an over. In the sweet win of Johannesburg, Ishant did the same in both innings. India were bowled out for 187, nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada was beginning to hurt them, and it was Ishant who first plugged the runs and then took the wicket. In the second innings, when Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla looked like running away with the Test, Ishant again dragged them back. Unlike Mohammed Shami, or even Jasprit Bumrah at times, there were no loose balls. Amla couldn't drive him, couldn't punch him, and eventually played the shot he did to get out. In that seven-over spell, Ishant produced the wicket of Faf du Plessis too with a ball that seamed in a mile and hit the off stump. This was a rare sexy wicket for him. He had earned it, and the celebration to go with it. In the end, Ishant only has eight wickets to show for his work in South Africa, but his economy rate is the best for an Indian in the series: 2.17. And it wasn't achieved by hiding the ball outside off; it came through hard lengths bowled just outside off. The same lengths that make him an unappealing option in limited-overs cricket and leaves him unsold at IPL auctions. Ishant might not trend on Twitter. But in the change room, they will value the three wickets he took in the match as much as the five-fors two of his team-mates took. They know there will again be some day when the pitch will be flat, when the opposition will have a big partnership going, when dirty overs will have to be bowled. Temujin Khaghan, Gollum, sarcastic and 1 other 2 2 Link to comment
velu Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 this artcile was written by @maniac and he mailed it to monga saik, adi B, Temujin Khaghan and 5 others 7 1 Link to comment
Cricketics Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 Bohot Sataya hai Ishant Sharma ne. Fir aake perform kar jaata hai in big wins once in a while and then we are stuck with him. velu, Adi_91, beetle and 2 others 4 1 Link to comment
Number Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 Ishant PR in action. velu 1 Link to comment
Dada's Army Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 2 minutes ago, Number said: Ishant PR in action. Don't worry Umesh, teri baari bhi ayeegi ek din. LORD_analyst and sarcastic 2 Link to comment
ThePhenomenal1 Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 I always saw ishant as the initiator. He starts collapses of opposition and can get a breakthrough, but wont run through a side. Hope he picks buckets of wickets now. sarcastic 1 Link to comment
Bleed-Blue Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 (edited) Ishant averages in the 35s now Edited January 27, 2018 by Bleed-Blue adi B, Mosher, King Tendulkar and 2 others 5 Link to comment
FischerTal Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 after 10 years of investment, his main achievement is that he is a reliable workhorse. yet people still praise him Link to comment
Sooda Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 13 minutes ago, FischerTal said: after 10 years of investment, his main achievement is that he is a reliable workhorse. yet people still praise him It is not what we all thought he'd be when he was bamboozling Ponting all those years ago... but it is a valuable skill and asset in itself. If it means strike bowlers can bowl quick short spells at the other end. CG, Dada's Army, sarcastic and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment
CG Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 In a bowling attack you need guys like ishnat who can bowl tight spells.He has bowled superbly after his comeback against Lanka adds variety to attack. Gollum and adi B 2 Link to comment
sarcastic Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 6 hours ago, Dada's Army said: Great little article by Monga in praise of Ishant Sharma. It's easy to criticise him for who he's not but sometimes we should credit him for who he is. http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22233969 Great article. It perfectly exemplifies what people (on ICF for e.g.) supporting Ishant Sharma's inclusion see in him. We observe only the peripheral numbers and judge people. It is about one of those silent hard workers who do almost everything in the background and help create memorable moments that leave you forever enthralled, is what author is articulating about. Ishant Sharma's value cannot be measured on his numbers alone. I know there are many members in this forum who still want to make fun of "unlucky Ishant", but it won't be long they too realize and recognize what Ishant has been bringing to the table for team India. Link to comment
FischerTal Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 3 hours ago, Sooda said: It is not what we all thought he'd be when he was bamboozling Ponting all those years ago... but it is a valuable skill and asset in itself. If it means strike bowlers can bowl quick short spells at the other end. there were other bowlers who could have been given the chances that he was. look at pankaj singh. poor chap was discarded after two tests. if you are going to back someone, no problem with that, but you also have to give the same opportunities. Link to comment
renjith Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Being satisfied with mediocrity is a big problem. Unless we solve it we can't dream of becoming a great team. Pollack 1 Link to comment
Pollack Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Funny what victory does to you. You start glorifying the mediocrity too. Link to comment
Vk1 Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 I agree with the article, there will be plans for each bowler and somebody has to be the workhorse. If Ishant can pick a 5 for in every 8 or 9 tests, it should be good. sarcastic 1 Link to comment
Temujin Khaghan Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 right now, both Ishant and Umesh are solid workhorse kind of bowlers but still dont have that extra cunning that great workhorse bowlers like Walsh and ntini had. Link to comment
Trichromatic Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Career averages Span Mat Inns Overs Mdns Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 5 10 unfiltered 2007-2018 81 144 2600.0 502 8411 234 7/74 10/108 35.94 3.23 66.6 7 1 Profile filtered 2014-2018 28 51 868.3 175 2627 85 7/74 9/162 30.90 3.02 61.3 4 0 Career summary Grouping Span Mat Inns Overs Mdns Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 5 10 v Australia 2014-2017 6 12 203.0 35 643 12 3/38 6/155 53.58 3.16 101.5 0 0 v Bangladesh 2015-2017 2 3 40.0 8 133 3 2/40 3/109 44.33 3.32 80.0 0 0 v England 2014-2016 4 6 146.0 30 440 17 7/74 7/135 25.88 3.01 51.5 1 0 v New Zealand 2014-2014 2 4 106.0 14 377 15 6/51 9/162 25.13 3.55 42.4 2 0 v South Africa 2015-2018 5 9 131.0 39 265 9 3/46 5/86 29.44 2.02 87.3 0 0 v Sri Lanka 2015-2017 5 10 158.3 31 512 21 5/54 8/86 24.38 3.23 45.2 1 0 v West Indies 2016-2016 4 7 84.0 18 257 8 2/30 3/70 32.12 3.05 63.0 0 0 in Australia 2014-2014 3 6 125.0 24 434 9 3/38 6/155 48.22 3.47 83.3 0 0 in Bangladesh 2015-2015 1 1 7.0 0 24 0 - - - 3.42 - 0 0 in England 2014-2014 3 4 115.0 22 381 14 7/74 7/135 27.21 3.31 49.2 1 0 in India 2015-2017 10 19 272.3 70 702 18 3/37 5/80 39.00 2.57 90.8 0 0 in New Zealand 2014-2014 2 4 106.0 14 377 15 6/51 9/162 25.13 3.55 42.4 2 0 in South Africa 2018-2018 2 4 69.0 12 150 8 3/46 5/86 18.75 2.17 51.7 0 0 in Sri Lanka 2015-2015 3 6 90.0 15 302 13 5/54 8/86 23.23 3.35 41.5 1 0 in West Indies 2016-2016 4 7 84.0 18 257 8 2/30 3/70 32.12 3.05 63.0 0 0 in Africa 2018-2018 2 4 69.0 12 150 8 3/46 5/86 18.75 2.17 51.7 0 0 in Americas 2016-2016 4 7 84.0 18 257 8 2/30 3/70 32.12 3.05 63.0 0 0 in Asia 2015-2017 14 26 369.3 85 1028 31 5/54 8/86 33.16 2.78 71.5 1 0 in Europe 2014-2014 3 4 115.0 22 381 14 7/74 7/135 27.21 3.31 49.2 1 0 in Oceania 2014-2014 5 10 231.0 38 811 24 6/51 9/162 33.79 3.51 57.7 2 0 home 2015-2017 10 19 272.3 70 702 18 3/37 5/80 39.00 2.57 90.8 0 0 away 2014-2018 18 32 596.0 105 1925 67 7/74 9/162 28.73 3.22 53.3 4 0 Those are decent numbers no matter how you look at it. He had done well in India earlier and was totally crap overseas. But highlight of this phase of his bowling is that he averages 28.73 overseas. He had 3 5-fers in first 53 matches and in next 28 he has taken 4. Dada's Army 1 Link to comment
Gollum Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 I told you guys Ishant will come good. He will do well in Eng once again. LORD_analyst 1 Link to comment
coffee_rules Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 I was not a believer until I saw him in person in the stadium in the Bengaluru test agsinst Aus. He's very nippy and his height is very disconcerting to batsman. Plus his antics are very disturbing. I can see why captains like a bowler who can run in and bowl whenever he's asked. Today his wickets were valuable than Shamis. sarcastic 1 Link to comment
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