Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen on Saturday praised Ishant Sharma for his “fabulous spell” in the last session on Day two of the first Test versus England. The right-arm pacer took two crucial wickets in the last hours and reduced England to 555/8. He took two successive wickets, Jos Buttler and his 299th Test wicket Jofra Archer and on a hattrick.
Lauding Ishant’s performance, Pietersen tweeted, “Fabulous little spell here from Ishant. And I say fabulous, as 170 overs in the field is like a prison sentence! He is also an unsung hero. He has been around for many a year in Indian cricket. As a fast bowler it is highly commendable!”
https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1358000727331848192
Spinner Shahbaz Nadeem who himself took two wickets felt that Ishant’s two wickets helped the hosts to get back on the track.
“Ishant’s two wickets were very crucial as he dismissed Buttler and Archer. He took wickets on successive deliveries and this kind of performance obviously uplifts the morale of the side. So, I feel those two wickets were important for us as if we did not get those two wickets, there would have been a batsman on the crease rather than tailenders. Now, two England bowlers are on the crease, so we can say we have got an upper hand,” Nadeem told ANI.
England 555/8 at stumps and India would like to bundle them out as soon as possible on Day three.
