Fun Facts on Ishant Sharma: Tattoos and meaning!
Ishant Sharma was born on September 2, 1988, in Delhi, India. He developed an early passion for cricket and played for Delhi in various age-group teams.
Ishant has played for multiple IPL teams, including the Kolkata Knight Riders, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Capitals. He has been a valuable asset in the IPL due to his experience and pace.
Here are some interesting facts on the lanky Indian pacer:
1. Test Debut at 18:
Ishant made his Test debut for the Indian cricket team in May 2007 against Bangladesh at the age of 18, becoming one of the youngest fast bowlers to represent India.
2. The Tallest Indian Bowler:
Standing at 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm), Ishant Sharma is one of the tallest fast bowlers in the history of Indian cricket. He is often nicknamed “Lambu” (which means tall in Hindi) by his teammates.
3. Record-Breaking Spell:
Ishant Sharma holds the record for the longest spell by an Indian fast bowler in a Test inning. He bowled a remarkable 37 overs in a single spell against England in 2014.
4. 100 Tests:
Ishant Sharma was the first Indian pacer since Kapil Dev to achieve the milestone of representing India in 100 Tests. He reached this significant milestone in his career by playing in February 2021, against England in Chennai.
5. 300 Test wickets:
He reached the milestone of 300 Test wickets in 2021, becoming only the third Indian fast bowler to achieve this feat, after Kapil Dev and Zaheer Khan.
6. Ricky Ponting’s nightmare:
In the 2008 Perth Test match between India and Australia, Ishant bowled a memorable spell to Ricky Ponting, consistently beating his outside edge and creating pressure on the Australian captain.
One of the most iconic moments of that spell came when Ishant Sharma bowled a delivery that went past Ponting’s bat, and Ponting, in frustration, slammed his hand into his helmet grill. This image became symbolic of Ishant’s dominance over Ponting in that match and is often remembered in cricketing circles as a testament to Ishant Sharma’s talent and the competitive spirit of Test cricket. India went on to win that Test match, which was a historic victory for the team.
Lord’s Legend:
Ishant’s best bowling figures in Test cricket are 7/74 against England at Lord’s in 2014. This performance came in a winning cause for India under the leadership of MS Dhoni. 7/74 are the best bowling figures by an Asian cricketer in Lord’s Cricket Ground.
8. County Cricket:
He has played county cricket in England for teams like Sussex and Warwickshire, gaining valuable experience.
9. Personal Life:
Beyond cricket, Ishant Sharma is known for his reserved and calm personality. He got married to basketball player Pratima Singh in 2016, creating a sports power couple in India.
10. Tattoos and Meaning:
Ishant Sharma has inked Lord Shiva art on his right shoulder and has a Mrityunjaya mantra inked on his right arm.
11. Honors and Awards:
Ishant Sharma was awarded the Arjuna Award, one of India’s highest sporting honors, in 2020, in recognition of his contributions to Indian cricket.
