ICC World Cup 2019: Ishant Sharma eyes fourth seamer slot in Indian squad
What's the story?
Fast bowler Ishant Sharma feels he could be India's fourth seamer at the 2019 World Cup if he does well in the upcoming edition of the IPL.
The veteran also heaped praise on both MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, explaining how both of them helped him develop his game during different stages of his career.
The background
Ishant was recently part of the Indian Test team which toured Australia. The 30-year-old has been a consistent part of the team in the longer format but has played very few games for the country in the shorter format.
The Delhi pacer was recently picked by his home-franchise Delhi Capitals for the upcoming edition of the IPL, and speaking ahead of his return to the competition, he opened up about the possibilities of securing a spot in the World Cup squad.
The details
Ishant has been labeled a Test specialist for India but he feels he has the skillset to succeed in every format.
"Whoever can do well in red-ball cricket can do well in any format. That’s the foundation of all cricket that we play. All you need to do is back your varieties that you have with the white ball. If I do well in this format, I am sure I can be that fourth seamer going into the World Cup. Indian team is still looking for a fourth seamer".
Ishant also spoke about the influence MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have had on his career. “When I played under Mahi bhai, he always backed me. There were times that I was supposed to get dropped but I didn’t get dropped."
Speaking about Virat, he said, "In case of Virat, being a senior member of the team, he always comes up to me and would tell me ‘I know you are tired, fatigued but you need to carry on. I have confidence in you."'
What's next?
Ishant will now return to his home-franchise Delhi Capitals for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. Ishant last played in the IPL a couple of seasons ago and with a lack of experienced domestic pacers in the squad, the lanky pace bowler will fancy his chances of securing regular starting berths.