IND vs AUS, 2nd Test, Day 2: Player of the day - Ishant Sharma

It’s rare when Ishant Sharma is in the news for his performance because he is usually either associated with memes, no-balls, and his iconic hairstyles. Even today, his hysterical monkey face is a meme across every social media platform and while we all can have a hearty laugh at that one, let it not overshadow his performance with the cherry today. It was one of the best spells of the season, one we’d remember for a long, long time. #UnluckyIshant they call him, rightly so because despite the magical moments, the scoreboard showed only one wicket for 39 runs beside his name on Day 2.

Amidst the long ‘death stares’ to Renshaw, and the mandatory (read, needless) glare at Shaun Marsh after every delivery, the spearhead’s line and length was on another level of beauty. He kept bowling despite the lack of luck and success for the wickets column. He kept going. Come the 80th over, and my favourite moment of the day. It was the last ball before tea. Kohli tried every trick possible in the field before that, but the change of field just moments before they headed for Tea was a class act.

Mitchell Marsh was the new man in. During his 11 ball stay in the crease, we all knew he didn’t possess any danger as such. Because in the back of our minds, Marsh’s inclusion in the squad has raised eyebrows. His role in the team was unknown, especially because he hasn’t done much worth remembering in his two outings in the series previously. Ishant had troubled every batsman, even Renshaw initially. But success only came for him when Mitchell Marsh, Australia’s least threatening batsman was trapped leg before wicket by him.

Ishant’s luck compelled, rather, forced fans and spectators to let go off the idea that he would have a single wicket of the day. Hopes were set for Jadeja and Ashwin to provide a breakthrough by that time. The strategic change by Kohli was one that defined intent. The final ball of the over and before Tea was kept extremely low. It pitched on a good length, straight at the stumps. The uneven bounce took it under Marsh’s bat and hit him between the middle and leg stump. The ball-tracking predicted that it would have hit the leg stump. Thanks to that, we could see the beauty of that delivery, all columns red, he was absolutely plumb. What a way to head for a cup of Tea that was!

You’d naturally expect Ishant to give an expression or two after that. As much as we make fun of what happened before that, this one moment was an extremely joyous one because it was so pure. For the Team, the Bangalore crowd and the viewers. He was frustrated, and desperate. He was longing to go all out on them but something or the other was going wrong for him in the entire day that can be called a tug-of-war between the two teams. And this one moment had elated the spirits of the very expressive Kohli. The weary men were suddenly jumping in the air and things in the dressing room could be positive temporarily.

Also read – Twitter Reactions: Australia hold edge despite some brilliant bowling by India on Day 2

As I scroll through my social media feed and see memes calling Ishant the Indian Khal Drogo, the Monday face and the reaction when Kohli takes a review, I will still go back to remember the purity of that roar, the emotion behind that expression when his desperation found a route in the dismissal of Marsh.