Birthday Special Flashback: Ishant Sharma's magical spell against Ricky Ponting

Former Indian pacer Ishant Sharma turned 36 on September 2, 2024. The tall pacer has not been a part of the Indian setup since 2021, but that has not dimininish the impressive achievements of his international career. With 434 dismissals spanning across 199 international fixtures, Ishant has established an indelible legacy in the chronicles of Indian cricket.  

It would be apt to travel down the memory lane with one of Ishant's vividly-recalled classic spells to the-then Australian skipper, Ricky Ponting. The greenhorn had just burst onto the scene and had immediately impressed one and all with his raw pace and zip. With Australia requiring 413 to win the 2008 Perth Test and clinch the four-match series, Ishant got the better of Ponting, tormenting and unsetlling the batting maestro all ends up.

The then-emerging pacer kept at it and gave the seasoned Ponting no freebies whatsoever during an unyielding seven-over spell which saw the Australian star dance to his tunes. The first delivery of his eighth over of the morning which cut Ponting into half, with the host skipper departing after nicking a probing delivery in the fourth-fifth stump channel to leave the then-19-year-old pumped. 

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Ishant dismissed Ponting in the first innings as well, with his 24 overs across the two Australian innings being one of the pivotal factors behind India registering a win for the ages with an entire day's play in the vault.