Ishant Sharma Was India¡¯s Only Positive From 1st Test & Now He Is An Injury Doubt For Second Game
Ishant Sharma is a major doubt for the second Test against New Zealand. The Delhi pacer has a recurrence of an ankle injury sustained in January. India lost the first Test by 10 wickets in Wellington. Prithvi Shaw has recovered from a foot injury and is ready to go.
In team India's otherwise ordinary performance against New Zealand in the first Test, Ishant Sharma was the only positive. His performance with the ball was heartening, but he was let down by his teammates with their poor outing.
AP
If India are to mount a comeback in the second Test, they will have to play out of their skin and read the conditions well. But they might have to do so without Ishant who is a major doubt after a recurrence of his right ankle injury sustained during a Ranji Trophy game against Vidarbha in January.
It does not look promising for Kohli and his team who would have loved for the Delhi pacer to bring more fire to the bowling department in the final game of the series. According to Cricbuzz, Ishant had informed the team management of pain in the same ankle, after bowling for nearly 20 minutes in the nets on Thursday. He was sent for tests on Friday (February 28), results for which are still awaited.
AFP
The 97-Test veteran has been quite a revelation in the recent years and has been a mainstay in the team. If he misses the game, it will no doubt be a blow to India who are looking to level the series after suffering a crushing 10-wicket defeat in the first Test.
Ishant had incidentally returned to action after a month-long injury lay-off owing to the ankle injury he'd suffered in January. He was also by far the best of the Indian bowlers in Wellington, finishing with figures of 5 for 68 in New Zealand's first innings.
AP
Umesh Yadav will get the nod if Ishant Sharma fails to regain fitness. Yadav, last played in the Day-night Test against Bangladesh in Kolkata last year where he picked up 8 wickets in the match, including a five-for in the second innings. He has been in good form with the ball and has been playing competitive cricket regularly to keep himself match fit.
Meanwhile, India head coach Ravi Shastri has confirmed that opener Prithvi Shaw has recovered from a foot injury and is "ready to go" in the second Test.