India is currently gearing up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting on December 17. Back in 2018-19, the Indian team registered their maiden Test series win in Australia. But, this time it is totally a different ball game. The tri-color nation will be short of Virat Kohli, who will travel back to his wife after playing the pink-ball Test. Rohit Sharma will be available for only the final two games. But, Sanjay Manjrekar feels that the absence of Ishant Sharma will hurt Team India more.
The Delhhite has certainly turned his fate in the last couple of years. He has sincerely evolved as a pacer and added some more unique variations in his bowling. Back in 2018-19, he played an important role with the ball for Team India. By the end of the series, he had dismissed 11 batsmen. Ishant sustained an injury during IPL 2020 and he is still recovering from the same. The Indian selectors fell that he will not be able to attain match fitness till December 17.
Sanjay Manjrekar Feels Team India Will Be Hurt With Ishant Sharma’s Absence
The Indian commentator Sanjay Manjrekar said that Team India will surely miss the services of Ishant Sharma. He added that they will need a bowler like Ishant to support Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah during the games. Sanjay Manjrekar opined that the 32-year-old is a senior-bowler with a brilliant bowling record in Australia.
“India will miss Ishant Sharma very, very badly because he was the third support bowler. He ensured that the pressure wasn’t off. In many ways, Mohammed Shami and Bumrah are your seam bowlers and you needed somebody to just keep that line outside the off-stump, be economical keep the pressure on,” Sanjay Manjrekar said on Sony Network.
Further, he added that the right-handed pacer is very precise with his bowling length and can bowl the whole day on the fifth stumps. And, this consistency creates problems for the opponent batsmen.
“About three-four years back Ishant Sharma found his wrists and since then his life has changed. He has continued to bowl relentlessly outside off-stump but something is happening now after the ball pitches and that has got him to bowl a lot fuller. We have seen five-wickets hauls as well and not just economy from Ishant Sharma.”
India vs Australia Test series will begin from December 17 in Adelaide with the pink-ball affair.
