The veteran Indian fast bowler, Ishant Sharma reveals that the loss against Australia in the 2013 Mohali ODI changed his career after he was taken to the cleaners by all-rounder James Faulkner. India suffered a four-wicket loss in a high-scoring 3rd ODI at the PCA stadium in Mohali as they failed to defend 303 runs on a good batting track.

Ishant conceded 63 runs from his 8 overs, including 30 runs in the 48th over which left with no chance for India to win. Australia needed 44 off 18 balls when then-captain MS Dhoni gave the ball to Ishant but the pacer lost his confidence when Faulkner scored 4, 6, 6, 2, 6, 6 off the six deliveries to tilt the match in his team’s favor.

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Recalling the match during a podcast on ESPNCricinfo, Sharma said, “The turning point of my life came in 2013. Faulkner hit me for 30 runs in one over in an ODI in Mohali that Australia went on to win. At that time I felt I had betrayed myself and my country. For 2-3 weeks, I didn’t speak to anyone. I called my girlfriend and cried on the phone like a child. You switch on the television and people are criticizing you, which messes you up even more.”

But as they say “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, Ishant emerged as a much better bowler after that game and is even the leader of the Indian pace attack in the longest format. He has not been considered for selection in limited-overs cricket but he has become a crucial cog in the Test squad. He is the most-capped Indian player in Test cricket among active cricketers and is just 3 wickets away from entering the 300 clubs in the format.

Talking about the same, Sharma said, “I laugh about it now and I consider it a blessing in disguise. Sometimes you need a jolt to understand your passion. After the Faulkner incident, I went through major changes in my life. After 2013, I started taking things seriously. Before that, if I had a bad performance, people would come and tell me ‘It’s okay, it happens.’”

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He further added, “But after 2013, if someone came to me and said that, I wouldn’t listen. If I have made a mistake, I have made a mistake. I started taking responsibility for my actions. When you do that, you play every match to win it for the team.”