'Ishant’s rhythm was not the reason we lost', says Ashish Nehra

Veteran Indian pacer Ishant Sharma had an underwhelming performance at the Headingly. The 32-year-old was the only pacer to have gone wicketless during the third Test between India and England. 

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He received criticism after conceding 92 runs in 22 overs at an economy rate of 4.18. Now, former India pacer Ashish Nehra said that he was surprised by the flak Sharma was receiving after just one poor match. 

“It will be too harsh on Ishant Sharma if we judge and discuss his place in the side after just one Test match. Somebody asked me yesterday, was Headingley Test Ishant Sharma’s last? I was very surprised that somebody even asked me that question,” Nehra said during a select media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network ahead of the fourth Test match at The Oval starting on Thursday.

“You can’t judge someone like an Ishant Sharma on one game performance. Yes, we have good four-five bowlers and there is a competition there but you don’t want to see a different bowler in every Test match,” he added.

Nehra went on to say that India did not lose the Headingly Test because of Ishant Sharma, however, agreed that the pacer was not at his best. 

“Ishant is someone who bowls a no-ball here and there so do Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja. Yes, according to me, Ishant Sharma wasn’t looking in the best of the rhythms. We lost that test match so we are discussing that more. Ishant’s rhythm was not the reason we lost it. But don’t forget he missed the first game because of a niggle. In the second, it took him a while but because of experience of playing more than 100 Tests, he got back to his groove quickly and had a good Lord’s Test,” Nehra added.

“Because of conditions in Oval, we might Ashwin get a game in place of a fast bowler, whether it is in place of Ishant or Siraj, only time will tell,” Nehra said.