Virender Sehwag and Ishant Sharma share a lot more than just the digits on their blue shirts. Cricketing logic says Australia is the last place to be for a batsman desperately dealing with a confidence crisis. Nor is the world champion batting line-up a recommended opposition for a young pacer trying to find his feet in international cricket. But Sehwag and Ishant made a habit of defying logic in Australia recently. Sehwag re-discovered his lost touch while, more hearteningly, young pacer Ishant is the undebatable ‘discovery’ of the tour.

Sehwag was called up from the wilderness with a belief that despite his poor form — he didn’t even do well at the domestic level — the maverick opener had it in him to counter the Australian pace attack. There was a lot expected from Ishant as well; despite his torrid no-ball streak and none too impressive debut performance. The 19-year-old paceman had the faith of the selectors and was hand-picked for this tour. Both justified the faith, and how!

Ishant may not have recorded ‘five-fors’ but he certainly earned the respect with some searing spells that made the most dominating batsmen in world cricket look ordinary. His nine-over spell in Perth made a mickey of Ricky Ponting for one hour before a ball that came in, and went out a fraction — a delivery that he admits is a gift from God — relieved the Australian skipper of his torturous stay at the wicket.

Wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had the ring-side view of the Ishant show and he is elated to talk about ‘the spell’. “For years we have seen Indian batsmen on the receiving end of such spells but to see that an Indian bowler is doing all this... thodi gudgudi hoti hai,” he smiles as he speaks about the ticklish feeling.

... contd.