Speedster Ishant Sharma slept barely four hours in the past two days but kept India in the fight with five New Zealand wickets in the first Test even as he struggled hard to deal with a “jet-lag”. He achieved a huge milestone on Sunday when he completed a five-wicket haul on Day 3 of the 1st Test against New Zealand in Wellington.
Ishant Sharma grabs 11th five-wicket haul
Three weeks back, the veteran of 96 Tests was all but out of New Zealand series after suffering multiple ligament tears in his right ankle during a Ranji Trophy game but travelled for 24 hours and arrived here 72 hours before the start of the first Test. He was drafted in the playing XI and was on the field with the ball in his hands and ended up with a five-wicket haul in the ongoing test against New Zealand in Wellington on Sunday.
The right-arm seamer had dismissed Tom Blundell, Tom Latham and Ross Taylor on Day 2. On Sunday, he dismissed Ross Taylor and Tim Southee to complete his 11th five-wicket haul in the longest format.
The 31-year-old Delhi pacer picked up his 11th five-wicket haul in the longest format of cricket to grab joint-5th position on the list of Indian bowlers with Zaheer Khan. While Zaheer had taken 92 Tests to reach the mark, Sharma did it in his 97th Test. Only Kapil Dev with 23 five-wicket hauls is higher in the list. He is also now just 3 wickets shy of entering the 300-club for India in Test cricket.
Ishant’s five-wicket haul is also his third in New Zealand and 9th overall outside India. He also surpassed Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Zaheer Khan to become the bowler with 3rd most-5 wicket hauls in away Tests. Only Kapil Dev (12) and Anil Kumble (10) are higher in the lists.
Despite Ishant’s performance, the Black Caps managed to put on 348 runs on the board in reply to India’s 165 first innings score to take a commanding 183-run lead.
Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson and Trent Boult counter-attacked to help New Zealand post 348 at lunch on the third day of the first test after India’s pace bowlers had grabbed two early wickets at the Basin Reserve on Sunday. De Grandhomme (43) and Jamieson put on 71 runs before the tall pace bowler was caught for 44, but their partnership ensured New Zealand built a healthy 183-run first-innings lead after India were dismissed for 165 on Saturday.
Boult was the last man out, with the session extended by 30 minutes as the last pair were at the wicket, for an entertaining 38 from 24 balls with Ajaz Patel left on four not out.
