Will Ishant Sharma surpass Zaheer Khan as better test pacer?

[ShoonyaSifar]

Ishant’s biggest advantage over Zak is his fitness. 

 

But Zak from 2007-11 was a magician on those terribly flat test pitches. May not have got many 5-ers or a bagful of wickets but he turned around so many test matches for us. Ishant still has to do lot more to get there.

[Singh bling]

Zak played in the era of 

Invincible Aussies , very good SA , SL , .  good England , decent Pakistan , average Windies and NZ

 

Ishant now playing in time of very bad Aussies ,SA,SL. West indies like minnows in test ,no pakistan only England is very good while NZ is same as they were before.

[maniac]

1 hour ago, Singh bling said:

Zak played in the era of 

Invincible Aussies , very good SA , SL , .  good England , decent Pakistan , average Windies and NZ

 

Ishant now playing in time of very bad Aussies ,SA,SL. West indies like minnows in test ,no pakistan only England is very good while NZ is same as they were before.

It is not the quality of the opponents but has more to do with test matches becoming bowling friendly as well. don't remember a boring draw in recent memory. even the draws have been exciting matches with possibility of result.

 

Its the 2011 8-0 drubbing where his average took the biggest beating. His resurgence in tests kind of started in 2014 SA,Nzl and Eng overseas leg even though he lost the plot couple of times even there. but in the last 3-4 years he has been very good. Also he has great support from the other end as well be it spinners or fast bowlers

 

 

[Tibarn]

Yes, I think so. Overseas, Ishant has been our biggest match-winner in recent times( until Bumrah showed up). His numbers will continue to improve. 

 

The question is how well will he bowl in India, if he gets a chance bowling at home. Kohli is more of a horses for courses type captain, so when we play home tests, Ishant may drop down the pecking order. He is already below Bumrah, but at home Shami would be the default 2nd seamer. He would be competing with Umesh for 3rd seamer. If he doesn't play much at home, his wicket totals won't go so much higher than Zak's. 

[Vilander]

4 hours ago, Singh bling said:

Zak played in the era of 

Invincible Aussies , very good SA , SL , .  good England , decent Pakistan , average Windies and NZ

 

Ishant now playing in time of very bad Aussies ,SA,SL. West indies like minnows in test ,no pakistan only England is very good while NZ is same as they were before.

all relative to India. You are not seeing the full picture. 

 

the reason you feel like this is the bowling ability in Indian fast bowlers.

[Muloghonto]

11 hours ago, Tibarn said:

Yes, I think so. Overseas, Ishant has been our biggest match-winner in recent times( until Bumrah showed up). His numbers will continue to improve. 

 

The question is how well will he bowl in India, if he gets a chance bowling at home. Kohli is more of a horses for courses type captain, so when we play home tests, Ishant may drop down the pecking order. He is already below Bumrah, but at home Shami would be the default 2nd seamer. He would be competing with Umesh for 3rd seamer. If he doesn't play much at home, his wicket totals won't go so much higher than Zak's. 

He is 30-31 and about 30-40 wickets behind Zaheer. I think he will comfortably pass it even if he plays mostly overseas. We have 15 overseas tests scheduled in the next three years alone. 

[putrevus]

On 8/26/2019 at 4:15 PM, Ankit_sharma03 said:

n kohli has also improved his wrist position i guess which was his biggest problem

Kohli alsi helped ishant burst on scene which is when he bowled at his best under kumble ....

 

His perfomance improved becoz he improved his wrist position n some what county stint to 

What best he bowled under Kumble he averged 38.He averages 27 under Kohli.All the fast bowlers have done well under Kohli.Ishant it is his wrist position but he got a new lease of life under Kohli.He has become more consistent both due Arun and Kohli.Kohli gives these fast bowlers importance and encourages them even on subcontinental wickets.

[Tibarn]

On 8/27/2019 at 11:48 PM, Muloghonto said:

He is 30-31 and about 30-40 wickets behind Zaheer. I think he will comfortably pass it even if he plays mostly overseas. We have 15 overseas tests scheduled in the next three years alone. 

Yeah, he will definitely pass Zak. Based on the stats that @Trichromatic posted, since 2013 he has taken ~3.3 wickets per match and he is 36 wickets behind Zak, so in the 3 years you mention he will probably get ~49-50 wickets, even if he only plays away.  So, I agree that he will pass Zak in wicket total. 

 

However, if he only plays overseas, he will be at 325 in 3 years, at 34 years old. It may be difficult to get to the 400 mark if he doesn't play+perform at home. I'd imagine he'd start declining sometime after age 34. 

 

He needs to bump up his wicket-taking to 5 per match, not unreasonable IMO, to leave Zak in the dust. 

 

 

[Ankit_sharma03]

5 hours ago, putrevus said:

What best he bowled under Kumble he averged 38.He averages 27 under Kohli.All the fast bowlers have done well under Kohli.Ishant it is his wrist position but he got a new lease of life under Kohli.He has become more consistent both due Arun and Kohli.Kohli gives these fast bowlers importance and encourages them even on subcontinental wickets.

Ishant bowled his best in Intial years under kumble - dhoni 

Ishant position was never under threat under dhoni despite poor perfomances 

 

He became consistent after going to county .......Encouragement doesnt fix ur wrist position

[rkt.india]

On 8/27/2019 at 7:10 PM, Singh bling said:

Zak played in the era of 

Invincible Aussies , very good SA , SL , .  good England , decent Pakistan , average Windies and NZ

 

Ishant now playing in time of very bad Aussies ,SA,SL. West indies like minnows in test ,no pakistan only England is very good while NZ is same as they were before.

arey, you are making it sound like Ishant debuted in 2019.  He debuted in 2007 and Aus were not invincible at that time.

[rkt.india]

On 8/27/2019 at 7:09 PM, ShoonyaSifar said:

Ishant’s biggest advantage over Zak is his fitness. 

 

But Zak from 2007-11 was a magician on those terribly flat test pitches. May not have got many 5-ers or a bagful of wickets but he turned around so many test matches for us. Ishant still has to do lot more to get there.

kaun is flat test pitches he did that?  Zak was an inconsistent GTB.  He was one of the worst bowlers in home conditions.

[Singh bling]

40 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

arey, you are making it sound like Ishant debuted in 2019.  He debuted in 2007 and Aus were not invincible at that time.

That was his best series but he declined and revived after 2013.

[CG]

Obviously he will, in nos. However, Zaheer was a bigger impact bowler in the 2nd half of his career. If Ishant gets a few more fifers, things could change

Zaheer was a good odi bowler.Tests I would say he underachieved Ishant has already won more matches than Zaheer and been more impactful.Ishant Has Mos against a great AUS side on dustbowls of India and in Wi also.

[MCcricket]

On 8/31/2019 at 7:08 AM, CG said:

On 8/25/2019 at 1:54 PM, Rightarmfast said:

Obviously he will, in nos. However, Zaheer was a bigger impact bowler in the 2nd half of his career. If Ishant gets a few more fifers, things could change

Zaheer was a good odi bowler.Tests I would say he underachieved Ishant has already won more matches than Zaheer and been more impactful.Ishant Has Mos against a great AUS side on dustbowls of India and in Wi also.

Ishant looks like will finally fulfill his potential, provided he doesn't loose pace and keeps fit

Edited September 1, 2019 by MCcricket

[Ankit_sharma03]

 

 

 

[Ankit_sharma03]

53 minutes ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

 

 

 

Bumrah already at 61...in his 12th test which is still on

[Stan AF]