Ishant Sharma, who was only the second specialist fast bowler from India to play 100 Tests, revealed an incident between Zaheer Khan and Virat Kohli from the New Zealand tour in 2014 and reasoned why Zaheer couldn’t play 100 Tests.
Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan reunited while doing commentary during the West Indies vs India Test series and fellow panelist Aakash Chopra brought up the stats of both pacers showing they had eerily similar numbers- 311 Test wickets with 11 five-wicket hauls and 1 ten-wicket haul.
The only difference being Zaheer picked his 311 Test wickets in 92 matches, while Ishant took 105 Tests.
When asked about Zaheer falling short of the 100-Test mark, Ishant narrated a light-hearted incident from India’s 2014 tour of New Zealand in which future superstar Virat Kohli had “ended” Zaheer’s career with a dropped catch.
“We were playing in New Zealand. Brendon McCullum had scored 300 runs and when Virat Kohli dropped a catch, I remembered that this happened around lunch. Virat said sorry to Zak and Zak said, ‘No worries, we’ll get him out.’ During tea, Kohli said sorry again and Zak told him not to worry. On the third day when Kohli apologized during tea, Zak told him, ‘You’ve ended my career!’,” said Ishant on JioCinema.
WATCH- MS Dhoni seen driving his vintage Rolls Royce on roads of Ranchi
The incident took place during the second Test between India and New Zealand at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, where Brendon McCullum, then Kiwi captain, smashed the first triple century for his country in Tests.
McCullum had been dropped on 9 by Kohli off Mohammad Shami’s bowling and went onto make 302, taking his side to 680/8d and denying India a series-leveling victory in the process.
Zaheer, though, made a couple of clarifications in response to Ishant’s anecdote.
“I didn’t say that. I said that there were only two players, the first was Kiran More who dropped Graham Gooch and he scored 300. After that, it’s Virat Kohli who dropped a catch and someone scored 300. Then, he told me not to talk like that, naturally as he wouldn’t have felt good about that. The catch was dropped and the runs were scored,” said Zaheer.
However, that Test match in Wellington proved to be Zaheer Khan’s final outing for India in international cricket, as he had played his final ODI and T20I in 2012.
