Ishant Sharma has a fan in the South African national cricket team

Ishant Sharma, the Indian fast bowler, has been in impressive form in his team’s five-match Test series against England. The Delhi-born seamer has notched 15 wickets thus far and has been India’s standout bowler. He picked up a five-wicket haul at Edgbaston in Birmingham to start his campaign on an impressive note. Thereafter, he has been amongst the wickets consistently.

Prior to the series, he plied his trade for Sussex in England’s County Championship as well as their One Day tournament under the tutelage of former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie. Recently, Dale Steyn, the South African speedster, mentioned that he has been an ardent follower of Ishant. Steyn, who has played alongside the lanky pacer in the IPL, has high regards for the 30-year-old.

I am very happy that he has achieved the things

“I have been a big fan of Ishant (Sharma) for a very long time. Played with him at the Sunrisers, saw what he was capable of doing back then. I always felt that he was very unlucky because India played at one point they played a lot of Test matches at home in a row and those wickets are not assisting towards fast bowlers,” Steyn was quoted as saying in bcci.tv.

India have traditionally been a team, which depends on the spinners and hence fast bowlers like Ishant Sharma gets sidelined from time to time. However, the pacer has kept his cool and exerted himself in the service of his national team. Moreover, Steyn also lauded the Indian bowler and mentioned that the county stint has helped him grow leaps and bounds in his career.

“As a fast bowler, you are kind of in and out of the side, and your team is regularly relying on spinners. And yet he has maintained focus and fitness to be able to come on a tour like this, when the fast bowlers are really needed, and stood up. I am very happy that he has achieved the things he has done and played County as well to prepare him for this summer,” he added.

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