Top 5 bowling performances by Ishant Sharma in international cricket

Ishant Sharma

The tallest pacer in the current Indian setup turns 25 today.

The lanky Ishant Sharma, known to his friends and teammates as Lambu, has struggled with both injuries and loss of form in recent times. Each time he delivers a fine spell, he goes for long periods without success.

It is a far cry from 2008, when the then 19-year old troubled former Australian captain Ricky Ponting at the WACA Test in Perth, so much so that the batsman was simply unable to take control of the proceedings, as he did many times in his illustrious career.

Ishant eventually took his wicket, and in the return series in India, dismissed him three times, causing the press to label Ponting as “Ishant’s bunny”.

After surgery on his ankle and some time spent in the five-day format of the game, Ishant returned to active ODI duty during the Champions Trophy and the subsequent tri-series in the West Indies. He performed well in both tournaments, and looks to have regained some of his old form back.

Here is a list of his top five international bowling performances:

Special mention: 3/94 vs Australia (3rd Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2008)

With Australia comfortably placed in their second innings, chasing 413 for the win, India were running out of options.

Left-arm pacer RP Singh had started warming-up in anticipation of being allowed a bowl, but a quick conference between captain Anil Kumble, opener Virender Sehwag and Ishant prompted the champion spinner to give the Delhi lad one more over.

Ishant had been troubling the Aussie skipper for one complete hour – and his line was simply spot-on. The veteran batsman looked very edgy and nervous, but had managed to keep his wicket intact, if only just.

The way the inexperienced cricketer had Ponting shuffling about in the crease spoke volumes of his abilities – the Tasmanian stroke-player was completely baffled.

And when Kumble tossed him the ball for another over, Ishant repaid his faith in full – he got his man to push forward to a delivery that pitched around off-stump and rose, holding its line. A confused Ponting poked at it, only to watch Rahul Dravid hold a regulation catch at first slip.

The concentration was broken, the warrior beaten, and the young upstart had brought his team back into the contest – which India eventually won by 73 runs.

The spell remains etched in the minds of Indian cricket lovers five years after a turbulent series concluded with the Men in Blue winning the CB limited-overs tourney in style. It brought the long-haired seamer into prominence, and India finally seemed to have an answer to the pace bowling conundrum.