The lanky Indian pacer, Ishant Sharma is expected to shoulder a huge responsibility for India during the upcoming Test series against Australia and considering the fact that it is his fourth series Down Under, the expectations have reached a notch higher from the fast bowler. He was India’s highest wicket-taker in the Test series in England earlier this year and completed 250 scalps, is still remembered for his magical spell to Ricky Ponting in the Test match in Perth in 2008 that India won by 72 runs.
Ishant, who was debuted for India when he was just 20, was part of the Indian teams that toured Down Under in 2011-12 and 2014-15 and has taken 20 wickets in 10 matches so far after having an ordinary start of none for 146 in his first Test in Sydney. He averages over 62 in Tests played in Australia and has three three-fers with the best of 3 for 38 in Brisbane in 2014.
Sharma had a funny moment during his interaction with the media ahead of the Test series starting in Adelaide on December 6. Amid the questions that were thrown at the bowler, a journalist asked him: “I think you’ve been coming here for 11 years now, is that right?” Replying to the same, the 30-year-old pacer said: “Not every year I come here, but yes…” The journalist then corrected himself saying: “11 years since the first time.”
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Explaining his point further, on the eve of the four-day practice match against Cricket Australia XI that was supposed to start in Sydney on Wednesday, Sharma said, “The biggest thing right now is to win the series and that’s what everybody is focusing on right now. We are not even thinking about personal performances. Just one aim that is to win a series in Australia.”
Here is the video of the same:
No play was held, however, on Day 1 because of rain, but Day 2 has been productive so far as Team India has scored 358 runs after losing all the wickets.
India are yet to win a Test series in Australia since they started touring the country since 1947-48. Their best results in that country came in 1980-81, 1985-86 and 2003-04 when they drew the hosts. They drew 1-1 in the rain-hit three-match T20I series against the hosts earlier this month.
