Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach Ricky Ponting while talking about veteran pacer Ishant Sharma, who missed the first two games of IPL 2021 for his team, revealed that the pacer is suffering from a heel niggle.
Ishant Sharma was ruled out of the IPL 2020 after he suffered a left internal oblique muscle tear in his rib cage, which also forced him to miss the entire Australia tour.
The 32-year-old returned made a successful comeback in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, taking five wickets, and the latter featured in the home Test series against England, where he played his 100th Test.
Coming into the IPL 14 Ishant Sharma was retained by his franchise Delhi Capitals but the lanky pacer missed his team’s first two games against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) due to injury.
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His absence made way for young 24-year-old pacer Avesh Khan, who impressed everyone with his fast bowling abilities and claimed five wickets in the first two games of Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021.
Addressing the press conference, Delhi Capitals head coach while revealing about Ishant Sharma’s injury lauded pacer Avesh Khan for grabbing his opportunities with both hands.
“Coming into the first game, Ishant Sharma obviously had a heel niggle that we have been trying to work through. Avesh Khan has grabbed his opportunities with both hands. He has been around this franchise for a few years now but hasn't got the opportunities that he has been craving for,” Ricky Ponting said during a virtual press conference.
Ponting said that an Indian fast bowler like Avesh Khan along with the likes of Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Chris Woakes, and Tom Curran counts for a real strong fast bowling brigade.
“if you have an Indian fast bowler like him and then you have the likes of (Chris) Woakes, (Anrich) Nortje, (Kagiso) Rabada, and (Tom) Curran and those guys around then we end up with a real strong fast bowling brigade,” he said.
Delhi Capitals lost their latest encounter against Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 3 wickets and will next face Punjab Kings (PBKS) on 18th April at Mumbai.
(PTI inputs)
