As days of religious and national significance found themselves bunched together, this month was divided by a long, lazy weekend. But unlike the general mood of those around him, thoughts of a ‘getaway’ didn’t cross Ishant Sharma’s mind.

Ahectic Season is just round the corner and the 20-year-old seems like a school kid with pending holiday homework. Ishant’s anxiety borders on frustration as unexpected Friday showers force him to be home. He is aware that the uncertainty over Zaheer Khan’s fitness has put additional

responsibility on his young shoulders, and that his average outings last season haven’t been reassuring for those who expected Sharma to fill the bowling spikes India’s trusted pace spearhead wore.

Explaining his present mindset in context of the past and the future, Ishant says: “I got injured once last year and I had some games when I was patchy with the ball. But now I’m eagerly looking forward to the coming season. I’ve a lot to prove.”

India bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad, who has closely watched him since the time he burst on to the international scene as a gawky bowler with long hair, and the gift to move the ball at exceptional speed, too spoke about the importance of the 2010 season for his ward. “After his successful debut, people have sorted him out. This is the period for Ishant where he needs to be learning as much as possible,” he said last week. Ishant isn’t the first bowler to be at such a crossroads. For all cricketers, or any sportsperson who has hit the highs in his first season, these ‘second-year blues’ are a familiar story. This is a period when players don’t just lose their novelty but also their lethal edge because the surprise element no longer works. After a rookie’s dream season, analysts and their think-tanks spend hours in front of the computer to pick up clues to demystify the new kid on the block. Only the ones who defeat predictability can aspire to bounce back after their first slump.

... contd.