Dubai: Indian speedster Ishant Sharma, who made a comeback into the squad for the ongoing second Test in Pretoria, said he is ever willing to take responsibility of leading the attack as the ‘senior’ fast bowler of the team.
“I was supposed to play the first Test but I fell ill as soon as we reached here. I wasn’t fully recovered from fever so I didn’t play the first game. I am the senior fast bowler of this team so I have to take responsibility. If I am ready to take those important wickets for the team, I am always up for it,” Ishant said when asked about his absence from the first Test. The inclusion of the lanky Delhi bowler in place of Bhubaneswar Kumar, most impressive among the pacers in the first Test at Cape Town, had raised quite a few eyebrows.
Ishant also revealed his gameplan during the course of the first innings and said that he just wanted to stick to bowling at a good line and length and he knew he would be rewarded for it.
“The game was opening up a bit because of runs in the first session on first day. My effort hence was to keep bowling in good areas and bowl according to plans. I always believe in my strength and my strength is bounce, so I always try to bowl where I can finish my ball on the top of off stump. I think that’s the best chance you give yourself to take more wickets and that’s what I was doing,” he added at the post-match press conference after second day’s play.
Sharma was also asked about the India fielders, who dropped catches on the opening two days of the Test. India did well enough to restrict South Africa on second morning after they were placed at overnight 269 for six. Ravichandran Ashwin picked up four for 113, but missed a five-wicket haul due to two missed chances off Kagiso Rabada.
“We have coaches to talk about this and everybody is pointing it out. We don’t have to react on all these things because it is part and parcel of the game. You know they are fielders and they will take brilliant catches for us. They have taken brilliant catches for us in the past, and I am sure they will take in the future as well. So there is no need to panic,” added Ishant.
