While Ishant Sharma was taking his 300th scalp in test cricket, no one in the stands was appreciating the phenomenal achievement. 300 wickets are considered to be as high as Mount Everest for the Indian pacers who work on their trade and ply on it day in and day out on pitches which has got nothing for the pace bowlers. But quite fittingly he had his peers only who have been applauding this effort. It is because they are the only ones who can understand the value of the workload that has been undertaken on the shoulders of this lanky pacer from Delhi.

According to Ishant, it is a rollercoaster ride and the feat by him has taken 98 test matches and it has been almost 14 years since he joined the great Kapil Dev and the left-handed pacer Zaheer Khan are the only two Indian pacers in the wicket club of 300 test wicket.

Ishant has spoken to the host broadcasters that till now it has been a rollercoaster ride and he has thoroughly enjoyed it. He had enough experiences during his career and there have been mentors who have helped him learn how it is to bowl in the pitches of the sub-continent and how it is different while bowling while traveling abroad. This has been told by Ishant to the host broadcasters.

He started his test journey in May 2007 against Bangladesh but it was when he played against the Australians in 2008 at WACA, Perth that everybody noticed his indomitable skills. The image of a wiry and long-haired Ishant was giving a working over to Ricky Ponting and after that dismissed him and it is etched in the memory of those spectators who watched the game. Ishant was only 19 when he bowled to Ponting and the younger pacer was up for the challenge. Virendra Sehwag insisted Anil Kumble give Ishant one more go and asked ‘EkAurdalega ‘ that translates to will you bowl another over.

Over the years, this question was asked to Ishant by many captains, and Ishant, the Delhi pacer has never refused. He has worked tirelessly and runs for India in test matches. He has gone through many ups and downs but he has never shirked responsibility.

L Balaji was remembering the time when Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma made their debut in first-class for Delhi in 2006 against TN. The pacer has gone through quite a few injuries and he has placed the achievements made by Ishant as a fast-bowler as he played in Indian conditions and has put that into perspective.

The former Indian pacer, L Balaji also went on to say that it is quite a great feat and it is not very easy for a fast bowler to have lasted so long in Indian conditions and the pacer is a complete team man and has delivered what the team has wanted of him.