Jason Gillespie played an influential role in Ishant Sharma's career when the Indian pacer couldn't find an IPL deal two years back and signed a county stint with Sussex where the former Australia fast bowler is the head coach.
Ishant developed more venom in its fuller deliveries and got those to swing away from both kinds of batsmen, which has since reflected in his astonishing numbers for India, especially abroad.
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Just another example of Ishant 2.0 was on show during the Wellington Test against New Zealand where the veteran speedster bagged a five-fer, even as the rest of the Indian pace attack struggled to restrict the Black Caps' batting line-up.
But Gillespie doesn't like taking credit for this new, resurgent Ishant the world has witnessed, putting the bowler's transformation down to his own attitude, work ethic and the willingness to learn and evolve.
"Very happy to see Ishant do so well- all down to his attitude to want to learn, improve and get better. The current coaching staff of the @BCCI team need to take a lot of credit," Gillespie tweeted.
This was Ishant's 11th five-wicket haul but what made this more special was how he bounced back from a dangerous ankle injury to be fit for an all-important Test series and even fought jet lag for the team cause.
"All credit goes to the NCA support staff," he told reporters after Day 1. "They worked really hard with me. The Big thing was, we never really have to come and play a Test match. My MRI showed I had a complete tear, ligament tear, not one but two. I was expected to be out for 6 weeks. I just wanted to carry on with my rehab. Nothing was playing on my mind... I did not think about playing the New Zealand Tests."
"I just told myself 'if it happens, well and good. Otherwise, I cannot do anything about it'. Even in the bathroom, you can slip and get injured."
"Before I came here, I tested myself. I bowled 21 overs in 2 days in Bengaluru. And then I came here. I again bowled 1 and half hours in the nets to check if I am match fit. Because after traveling for almost 24 hours, it was a big toll on the body," Ishant added.
(Inputs from India Today)
