Focus on Ishant in Duleep final
LUCKNOW:Seamer Ishant Sharma was the first one to take a close look at the 22-yard red-clay strip at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium on Sunday evening as soon as the covers were removed. He not only exchanged a few words with the groundsmen, but also felt the hardness of the pitch.
Immediately after this, he got busy bowling with the pink ball at the practice pitch adjacent to the main wicket. After sending down a few stock deliveries, Ishant bowled bouncers at the batsmen who struggled to fend them off. Ishant last played a Test in March, against Australia at Ranchi. For the last six months, he has not played represented India in any format.
After being instructed to play a Duleep Trophy match in Kanpur last week for the Suresh Raina-led India Blue against India Green, Ishant could bowl just seven overs (taking a wicket) as rain washed out the match.
So it would be an opportunity for the newly-appointed captain of the Delhi Ranji Trophy side, when he takes the field for India Blue against India Red in the five-day Duleep Trophy final, starting here on Monday.
“It’s an important game for everyone including Ishant,” India Blue skipper Suresh Raina said on Sunday. “Certainly, we couldn’t get match practice due to rain in the last two matches. But we are a balanced side. The presence of Ishant and Pankaj Singh in the side is a big boost to our confidence.”
He, however, admitted that five-day cricket demands character, strength and courage as patience remains the key to success. “For me, getting a good start ahead of the domestic season is quite important and I am happy that I am in good nick with the willow. I hope my bat continues to do the talking here too.”
Refusing to get ‘under pressure’ by recent reports on his fitness, he said, “I’m here and you can see how fit I am. I am working hard on all aspects of my cricket life, including fitness.”
Rival skipper Dinesh Karthik claimed that even after losing a number of key players, his side India Red had enough good players.
Squads
India Blue: Suresh Raina (captain), Samit Gohel, Abhimanyu Easwaran, KS Bharat, Manoj Tiwari, Deepak Hooda, Ishaan Kishan (wk), Akshay Wakhare, Bharghav Bhat, Ishant Sharma, Pankaj Rao, Jaydev Unadkat, Sagun Kamat and Pankaj Singh.
India Red: Dinesh Karthik (captain), Prithvi Shaw, Akhil Herwadekar, Ishank Jaggi, Rahul Singh, Baba Indrajith, Washington Sundar, Vijay Gohel, Basil Thampi, CV Milind, Ashok Dinda, Siddharth Kaul.
ISHANT LAST PLAYED A TEST IN MARCH, AGAINST AUSTRALIA AT RANCHI. FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, HE HAS NOT PLAYED REPRESENTED INDIA IN ANY FORMAT