IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Ishant Sharma Joins Kapil Dev, Zaheer Khan in Elite List With 8th Fifer in Tests

IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Ishant Sharma Joins Kapil Dev, Zaheer Khan in Elite List With 8th Fifer in Tests

The reverse commentator’s curse was in operation on Friday during the third day of Edgbaston Test between India and England. After his former teammate Harbhajan Singh on-air stated that Ishant Sharma had somewhat underperformed in Test cricket for India, the lanky pacer produced a fiery spell of fast bowling that handed India a firm control in the first Test of the five-match series against England in Birmingham.

Ishant not only answered Bhajji with a blistering and possibly a match-winning spell but also beautifully took the responsibility of India’s bowling spearhead in absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The 29-year old pacer ran through the English middle order to pick up his eighth five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

Following this majestic performance in Birmingham, Ishant joined the list of India’s fast bowling greats as he joined Irfan Pathan on the third spot in picking up most 5-fers away from home in cricket’s most traditional format. Legendary Kapil Dev heads the list with 12 five-wicket hauls against his name, he is followed by Zaheer Khan (8). Ishant and Pathan have seven fifers against their name in away Tests for India.

Ishant also becomes the third Indian bowler to claim a five-wicket haul at Edgbaston after Kapil Dev (5/146 in 1979) and Chetan Sharma (6/58 in 1986).

The Delhi-born quick now has 243 Test wickets against his name and has gone past former Indian cricketer BS Chandrashekar’s (242 wickets) in the tally of bowlers with most Test wickets. Overall, Ishant is at the seventh spot in the tally.

Interestingly, this was Ishant’s second fifer in his last three Tests in England following his match-winning spell of 7/74 at Lord’s in 2014.

On day three, Ishant picked up the wickets of Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad that helped India in bowling out England for 180 in the second innings. India need 194 to win the match.

The most experienced bowler in the Indian bowling unit produced a majestic spell that not only left England gasping but also rattled them at Edgbaston. He bowled with pace, fire and plenty of aggression throughout on day three.

Particularly, Ishant’s triple blow in one over broke the back of England’s batting lineup. After removing the dangerous Bairstow with a nice inswinger, Ishant got the better of attacking all-rounder Stokes, who had no clue how to deal with another outswinger from around the wicket. Next up, right after lunch, Ishant got Buttler to edge one behind the wickets to Dinesh Kartik.