Prior to Friday, pacer Ishant Sharma last played a Test for India eight months ago. He came away from that game against Australia with match figures of 1/100.
On Day 1 of the Nagpur Test, Ishant produced a fine display of pace bowling as he rattled the Sri Lankan batting order, handing India their first breakthrough before stifling the visitors’ fightback with the wicket of set batsman Dimuth Karunaratne and later Suranga Lakmal.
His 3/37 helped trigger Sri Lanka’s capitulation on a wicket that had very few demons.
Given a chance to play thanks largely to the unavailability of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who got married on Thursday, Ishant made most of his opportunity with an inspired display.
In his comeback game, Ishant bent his back and got the ball to talk. He shot in a barrage of short deliveries to the the Lankan batsmen, preventing them from ever settling down. He peppered the short stuff with a gnawing line just outside the off stump and had the Sri Lankan batsmen fishing away from their body. It was this plot that brought about opener Sadeera Samarawickrama’s downfall, before a straighter delivery had Karunaratne on the wrong foot.
The talk of another green top evaporated early on in the day as the wicket saw more turn than seam movement. But to his credit, Ishant bowled consistently at an awkward angle, inducing mistakes from the batsmen. It was an exercise that could not be replicated by fellow pacer Umesh Yadav, who went wicketless.
Domestic gains
It hasn’t been an easy phase for the 29-year-old pacer. Out of favour for both of India’s limited overs teams. He last played an ODI in January 2016 and was picked in the national side’s T20 team way back in 2013. Ishant’s last bastion, the spot on the national team’s Test team seemed to be slipping away as well. With the likes of Bhuvneshwar, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav gaining preference, Ishant needed to make a big splash.
Back in the domestic fold post the home series against Australia, Ishant did considerably well picking up 20 wickets in four games in the Ranji Trophy for Delhi, captaining in all of those matches. India had a full battery of pacers in top form and a South Africa series beckoning, where the fast bowlers’ department would be in focus.
For Ishant to find form, he needed to beat the conditions, which on the domestic circuit tend to favour the batsmen. Almost as a joke played by destiny, there was even a car that found its way on to the wicket during one of those games.
Despite the odds, Ishant exuded command that only years of top-class cricket can teach a player. He struck with a five-wicket haul in the state side’s first match of the season.
His was picked in India’s squad for the series against Sri Lanka, only to be released after failing to make the playing XI for the first Test. The turn of events seemed to have motivated him further as he produced a fiery spell of pace bowling after rejoining the Delhi outfit.
His 3/14 against Maharashtra in the last game he played in the premier domestic tournament, was a vintage Ishant spell that left his opponents gasping. With a barrage of bouncers and toe-crushing yorkers, that fiery spell broke Maharashtra’s spirit and effected a capitulation that saw them collapse to 99 all out.
It was an effort similar to the one we saw on day one in Nagpur against Sri Lanka.
Bid for SA spot
The difference was the pressure. With Bhuvneshwar out and Shami injured, Ishant knew this would be his last chance to make an impact.
Debates over who would make the flight to South Africa are fully underway and Ishant’s performance on Friday kept him in good stead and might even help him further his cause for a place in the playing XI in one of the three Tests.
In the past, Ishant has shown an ability to extract bounce from wickets overseas. (Remember Lord’s, 2014?) His height, coupled with his pace has always kept him in the reckoning. In the past year, the lanky lad has become a lot fitter keeping up with the demands of cricket in the Virat Kohli era.
His effort in the field on Friday was also on point. He managed to pulled off some reflex saves off his own bowling and also dove around a bit in the outfield, earning a clap and appreciation from his skipper.
If it counts, Ishant even ran back to the pavillion after Kohli asked him to pad up as nightwatchman once Sri Lanka’s innings came to a close.
While he was eventually spared the thankless responsibility, he had done enough with the ball to put his feet up and rest.
It is expected that Ishant will have a chance to play in the third Test as well. If all goes to plan, he potentially has three more innings to stake his claim for a permanent spot in the team.
If he replicates Friday’s performance, it might hand the team management another selection headache.