The Indian cricket landscape has seen a significant shift in fast bowling over the past decade, with Jasprit Bumrah becoming a central figure. Bumrah’s addition to the Test squad proved to be a game-changer for Team India. However, Ishant Sharma, along with bowlers like Mohammed Shami, significantly bolstered the Indian bowling attack, bringing in both skill and experience. The lanky Indian pacer made an impressive entrance into international cricket and, after years of experience, brought renewed energy to India’s bowling unit. Ishant, who is set to turn 37 on September 2nd, had a career as remarkable as his formative years.
Ishant Sharma’s roots are in West Delhi, a breeding ground for Indian cricket talent. The region has produced cricketing icons like Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan. Ishant also joined this illustrious list, earning a spot in Team India. Like his peers, Ishant’s upbringing took place in a middle-class family. Through his perseverance, he overcame the challenges of domestic cricket and made a name for himself in international cricket.
While fans of Indian cricket are well-versed with Ishant Sharma’s cricketing journey, details about his childhood are less known. He, too, experienced the discipline of his parents, a common practice in Indian families to ensure children focus on academics or sports. In his early years, Ishant also endured beatings from his father. In an interview, Ishant shared a humorous account of an instance when he received a severe beating from his father.
In an interview on Cricbuzz, Ishant, along with his wife Pratima and his parents, shared an incident where he was beaten without any apparent reason. Ishant recounted that upon entering the house, his father began beating him with a stick. Both Ishant and his sister were subjected to the beating. Ishant’s father expressed surprise and denied any recollection of the event. He then suggested that Ishant must have done something to warrant the punishment. Yet, Ishant remains puzzled about the cause of the beating.
However, Ishant’s family played a vital role in his journey to becoming a cricketer. His father revealed that he also had a passion for cricket during his childhood and was considered among the fastest bowlers in the neighborhood. This undoubtedly played a role in Ishant’s development into a fast bowler. Reflecting on Ishant’s career, he made his international Test debut in 2007 and gradually solidified his position across all three formats. Ishant has claimed 311 wickets in 105 Test matches, 115 wickets in 80 ODIs, and 8 wickets in 14 T20s for Team India.