IND vs ENG: Ishant Sharma becomes 2nd pacer after Kapil Dev to feature in 100 Tests
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The veteran pacer had earlier become the third Indian speedster to have scalped 300 wickets in the longest format of the game.
Senior speedster Ishant Sharma became the second Indian paceman after Kapil Dev to play in 100 Test matches on Wednesday. Sharma achieved this milestone after being named in the playing XI of the pink-ball Test at Narendra Modi Stadium.
Overall, Ishant is only the 11th player to represent India in 100 Tests. The only bowlers in the list include Anil Kumble (132), Kapil Dev (131), Harbhajan Singh (103).
.@ImIshant was felicitated by the Honourable President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind & Honourable Home Minister of India Shri Amit Shah before the start of play here in Ahmedabad.@rashtrapatibhvn @AmitShah pic.twitter.com/7elMWDa9ye
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 24, 2021
The veteran pacer had earlier become the third Indian speedster to have scalped 300 wickets in the longest format of the game.
Joe Root won the toss and chose to bat first. "We are gonna bat first. Hopefully, we will get a big score like the first Test. Hoping the wicket will dry out as the game goes along," Root explained the reasons for his choice at the toss.
"It is certainly harder and seems to swing more compared to the red ball. We are very excited to be here 1-1 and are looking to do well. Four changes. Anderson, Archer, Bairstow, Crawley back in. Burns, Lawrence, Stone, Moeen Ali out," he added.
Ishant Sharma gave India an early breakthrough after dismissing Dom Sibley on a duck.
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah
England (Playing XI): Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root(c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes(w), Jofra Archer, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, James Anderson