Fortunately, Ishant Sharma belongs to the first category. He had the massive responsibility of leading the Indian pace bowling department in the absence of Zaheer Khan during this trip to the West Indies. It was a job with numerous pitfalls.
There were a number of reasons held against Ishant from being a success in the Caribbean. His fitness was suspect, form was patchy, and coming to the West Indies he had played just 31 Tests over five years in international cricket. Odds were stacked high against the Delhi lad, but Ishant survived.
He captured his 100th Test wicket in his 33rd Test, and bowled outstandingly in three consecutive innings while capturing a career-best 6-55 on Thursday. “I have faced lots of ups and downs in the last one and half years as I have been struggling in my bowling,” Ishant said. “When you go through a period of struggle, nobody asks about you, and the only people around is your family.” Perhaps, a touch of angst was in his words.
The period of struggle also helped Ishant understand his craft and body better, turning him into a more mature individual and bowler. Here he stresses on the influence of Zaheer.
“I will like to thank Zaheer for the change. I spoke to him a lot in the IPL IV. He always used to tell me about fitness, but that time I didn’t take him seriously because I didn’t think fitness was that important. Now, I have realised that it’s very important,” he said.
The change is not just peripheral either. He asserted that pace and bounce would remain his primary weapons, but he also has realised the importance of planning for different batsmen. “Pace and bounce are my strength. I don’t want to lose pace and bounce,” he said like a kid insistent on having his candy.
But he’s not adamant. “Now I think more. I plan against each batsman, where and what you should bowl at different batsmen. Now, I visualise what you are going to bowl.”
Now, he wants to be a permanent part of the one-day side, a format in which Ishant never really looked comfortable. “It’s all about learning. Everyone wants to be a Test cricketer. You have to be clever when you are bowling in Power Plays, and in the slog overs. I wasn’t that clever before. Now I am learning my bowling and body, and I hope I will come back into ODI side,” Ishant said.
This all new positive bend of mind has reflected in his outings in the West Indies. “I am enjoying the responsibility of leading the attack. MS has given me the fields I want and I talk to Harbhajan about all my field plans, and what I am going to bowl to each batsman,” he said.