IPL 2017

Experience makes me stand out: Ishant Sharma

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on

Ishant was considering an English County stint after going unsold at the IPL auctions earlier this year. © Getty

February 20, 2017 wasn't a good day for Ishant Sharma. The lanky Indian pacer, who was still a regular member of the Test squad, went unsold at the Indian Premier League auctions. Gautam Gambhir, his India and Delhi teammate, reasoned it as the steep Rs. 2 crore base price that the pacer had set for himself against teams running short of money to splurge.

A bit dejected, he looked at other avenues, and the English County sides too slowly offered their contract papers to him. At least, that's what he said. "Mentally, I wasn't in a holiday phase, I had already started training, preparing myself for the County. I hadn't signed a contract, but I got a few offers," Ishant told Cricbuzz on Tuesday (April 4).

Away from India's great cricket extravaganza, the money would've been lesser, and the attention and glamour more so in the English parks. Nonetheless, Ishant believes any cricket is better than no cricket. "Obviously as a cricketer, if you don't get picked in IPL, you want to go somewhere," he added. "It is time for me to play. It doesn't matter where I'm playing. I just want to play. That's it."

However, just three days ahead of the start of the 10th season of IPL, the tall pacer received a call from Virender Sehwag, his former India and Delhi teammate, who asked him to join Kings XI Punjab as a replacement for the injured Murali Vijay, and not surprisingly, he accepted the offer.

It isn't a like-for-like replacement and all the more baffling given that the side is overloaded with Indian pacers, with the likes of Varun Aaron, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma, Anureet Singh and T Natarajan already in the ranks. However, Ishant believes he can add value to the side with his experience.

"My experience makes me stand out," he points out. "After all the years that I have played international cricket, I can bring my experience to the dressing room and share it with the youngsters. It is all about the experience of playing in different situations, and how to face it, how to bowl in different situations."

After a long and hectic season of 13 home Tests, where the lanky pacer travelled for 10 and played five, it is no surprise if his body too would be a bit drained out. But, he believes, it wouldn't be much of a problem shifting from long-form cricket to T20s.

"As a fast bowler, if you are coming from Test matches to T20s, it is easier for you since you have played the long format. It is just that you have to maintain your fitness," he adds.

As far as the technical adjustment is concerned, he adds that there isn't much for a pace bowler to change. "I don't think there is any adjustment needed. As a fast bowler it is important that you execute your plans. If you make plans and practice executing those in the nets, it will be easy for you to execute those in matches. In Test matches it is about how many overs can you bowl, but in T20 format it is about implementation."

© Cricbuzz

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