FAST bowler Ishant Sharma is the joint highest wicket-taker, along with Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal, in Test matches in 2011, 41 wickets from 11 matches with one five-wicket and one ten-wicket haul. But overall, the fast bowler is pleased with the way his bowling has developed and is looking forward to, probably, his biggest assignment – India’s tour of Australia.
“It has been a very good year for me. I am happy with my rhythm and pace. Even though I didn’t get wickets on some occasions, I am pleased with the way I have bowled this year,” Ishant told MAIL TODAY on Tuesday.
“But the learning process never stops. Even someone like Sachin Tendulkar says he is still learning about the game after 22 years. So I am always learning to improve. For me, every day is a new day.”
The learning process for Ishant has been eventful. After announcing his arrival in the last tour to Australia and getting Ricky Ponting out at the end of one of the most probing spells bowled by an Indian, Ishant lost his way, and pace, a bit.
Now almost an exclusive Test bowler, Ishant looks more confident of his game.
And, it would be essential for an inexperienced Indian pace attack, in case pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, recovering from an ankle and hamstring injury, doesn’t feature in all the Test matches in Australia.
“Obviously, having Zaheer would be a huge bonus. But if he is not there, it would be an honour to lead the attack in Australia. It would be a great responsibility. Every fast bowler dreams of leading the attack for the country.”
“Australia is going to be very exciting. But the key would be not to put pressure on yourself.”
“If you keep thinking about results and wickets, it would only add to the pressure. So I would look to just enjoy myself.”
“This time in Australia, patience will be the key.”
“The thing is that Australian batsmen don’t like to be tied down and if you bowl patiently at them, you can pick up wickets.”
“So bowling tightly would be the best strategy,” the Delhi pacer said.
BEST SPELLS
Of the many wicket-taking spells he has bowled this year, Ishant, 23, picked the spells he bowled in the West Indies and England as some of the most gratifying.
“There have been many good spells this year that I remember.”
“The 10-wicket haul (against the West Indies in Barbados) and then five wickets in Dominica were good.”
“The second innings spell in Lord’s (where he picked four wickets in six overs) and the first innings in Trent Bridge were very pleasing; also bowling in Kolkata in the second innings after lunch and picking two wickets (of Adrian Barath and Kirk Edwards),” he said.
The pacer, who has 41 Tests under his belt, is excited to see young fast bowlers like Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron come through the ranks and looks forward to bowling with them in Australian conditions.
“Bowling with Umesh and Varun is quite exciting. They have the pace and the best thing is they are willing to learn. The more they bowl, they more they will learn to exploit the conditions,” the lanky bowler opined. (Mail Today)