IND v BAN 2019: “We had to figure out the right length to bowl with pink ball”, says Ishant Sharma

Ishant, Umesh and Shami once again ran through the Bangladesh batting line-up.

India bowled out Bangladesh for a paltry 106 | AFP

India pacers had to work out the right length to bowl with pink ball after not getting any swing initially on the opening day of the second Test against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens, said Ishant Sharma, who claimed his 10th five wicket-haul to help the hosts bundle out visitors for a paltry 106.

Such was the dominance of India’s fast bowling trio that skipper Virat Kohli gave only one over to his left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja while off-spinner R Ashwin didn’t even bowl.

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The duo of Umesh Yadav (3/29) and Mohammad Shami (2/36) shared the remaining five wickets between them as Bangladesh’s first innings folded in just 30.3 overs.

"It was a lot different from the red ball. Initially, we bowled the right length but did not get any swing. Then we realised at what length we have to hit and we discussed among ourselves and found out the right length to bowl with the pink ball," Ishant quoted as saying by PTI after the close of play in India’s first ever Day-Night Test.

It was Ishant’s second five-wicket haul in India after he took his first one in the debut series against Pakistan back in 2007.

"I'm enjoying my cricket right now. Initially, I used to take more pressure on my performance, to take wickets and beat batsmen so many things. Now I don't think much. Obviously, I've got experience now so I adjust my length according to the conditions quickly," he said.

The lanky pacer doesn’t feature in limited-overs cricket anymore. He has played his last ODI in 2016 while his last T20I experience was in 2013.

"Yes, it feels sad sometimes. But I've reached a stage in life I've stopped worrying about those things. I'm now 31 and if I start worrying about in which format I'm in then I cannot perform.

"I just want to play, be it Ranji Trophy or India. That's a simple thing. If you enjoy playing you do well. If you start cribbing for small things you can never improve."

(With PTI inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 23 Nov, 2019

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