Ishanth Sharma – India’s Answer

It was in 1979 that, India produced its first world class fast bowler in the form of the legendary Kapil Dev. He had the capacity to humble the greatest of the players and bring India some of the most memorable victories including the 1983 world cup. Ever since then, India was on the look out for another such talented young pace man who could rummage through the batting line-up of the best cricket playing nations in the world and yet give away very few runs. India seems to have finally found the answer in Ishanth Sharma.

He has all the makings of another legend. The way he handles the new ball is remarkable. He manages to get the right amount of bounce and swing and at such high speeds. He consistently reached bowling speeds of 148, 149kmph, which is exactly what India needs. Ricky Ponting, according to the ICC cricket ratings, is the best batsman in the world, and Ishanth Sharma has managed to consistently get him out and that too, in his own backyard. This feat of his is commendable and he deserves all the praise for being able to put a batsman like Ricky in a corner.

It's now official.... India have arrived as a worthy contender to be the next No 1 team in the world. The main reason for this is mainly due to the wonderful presence and development of its younger players in Gambhir, Sreesanth, Pathan, Uthappa and both Ishant and Rohit Sharma.

India were just fantastic at the MCG on Sunday. Sreesanth started it all by knocking over the dangerous Gilchrist for a duck. What a wonderful start and then came along Ishant Sharma. Sharma found the edge of Hayden's bat... amazing considering I thought Hayden's bat had no edges of late.

Ishant Sharma is the next superstar in world cricket. Sharma has this great ability to get the ball to seam away and bounce from an impeccable length.

The inspirational Ishant Sharma bowled with pace and with some real venom and finished with the well-deserved figures of 4-38. When the lad puts some more weight on and get some strength, then adds some experience at this level, we will see Sharma bowl consistently in the 150s kph when he reaches the ripe old age of 25!

The whole reason for me is why this team is bowling well is because of their captain's leadership in Dhoni. He set strong attacking fields all day. He took the Aussies on. That is the way Dhoni plays his cricket and that's why India will win a lot of trophies in the future.

India are doing especially well in their "New Ball" plays. What I mean by that is that whether India are bowling with the new ball or batting against the new ball they are winning most of the contests. That's how you beat the No 1 team in the World.... take the Aussies on! Any team with positive leadership combined with youth who have no fear can do can do anything!

All that is needed now is to keep these amazing finds in great form and fitness and to train them in such a way that they can keep giving match winning performances always. If India manages to do this successfully and the young brigade manage to have a common goal and stay grounded, they will be world champions in no time and might as well lift the next world cup.

Here's wishing India all the very best.