NZ vs IND: Five stats which make Ishant Sharma substantial
Fast bowler Ishant Sharma has been India's linchpin of the pace attack over the years. The 31-year-old took a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the ongoing first Test against New Zealand at Wellington. This was his 11th five-for in the longest format. We take a look at Ishant's numbers that make him invincible in Test cricket.
Ishant is nearing the 100-Test mark
Ishant is mere three wickets shy of entering the 300-wicket club for India in Test cricket. Having scalped 297 wickets so far, he is only behind Kapil Dev and Zaheer Khan who have 434 and 311 wickets respectively, in the elite list of Indian fast bowlers with most Test wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin is the only active Indian player above him with 365 wickets.
His record in SENA countries has been terrific
Ishant has a total number of 122 Test wickets to his name in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. He has overtaken Zaheer Khan's tally of 119 wickets to become the highest wicket-taker by an Indian seamer in SENA countries. All in all, the chart is led by former Indian spinner Anil Kumble, who has a record 141 wickets.
A first by an Indian bowler in Test cricket
Ishant Sharma has now registered three consecutive Test five-wicket hauls in New Zealand. In India's 2014 tour, he took 9/162 and 6/215 in Auckland and Wellington respectively. Yet another five-for in the ongoing Test has made him the first Indian bowler to do so. Besides, he has taken 28 wickets in 10 Test innings at 27.82 in New Zealand.
Ishant's Test record has improved lately
Ishant's Test career has been a meticulous tale of two phases. During 2007-2016, he took 212 wickets in 128 innings at an average of 36.47. Following his debut in 2007, he managed to grab a solitary five-for till 2011. However, his numbers have improved profusely of late. Since 2017, Ishant has scalped 85 wickets, while his Test average in 2019 was 15.56.
200-wicket mark overseas is on the cards for Ishant
Ishant has 199 wickets to his name in foreign conditions. He is the joint fourth-highest wicket-taker with Imran Khan in the list of Asian seamers away from home. Kapil Dev leads the chart for India with 215 away wickets followed by Zaheer Khan (207 wickets), Ishant stands third among the Indian seamers. Ishant may well emulate Kapil Dev in the upcoming Tests.
