In the past decade, India’s Test record in England has been forgettable. In three tours since 2011, India have emerged on the losing side each time and managed to win just twice in 14 matches. One of those victories – at Lord’s in 2014 – was on the back of a brilliant spell by Ishant Sharma.
In a recent interview with Gaurav Kapur on his YouTube series Isolation Premier League, Sharma reflected on his performance in that famous win and revealed Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s contribution to his performance.
Asked to bat first in the Test, India managed to get 295 thanks to a fine century by Ajinkya Rahane. Gary Ballance then hit a hundred of his own to hand England a 24-run first innings lead. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the bowlers for India in that innings, bagging a superb six-wicket haul.
India then rode on half-centuries by Murali Vijay, Ravindra Jadeja and Kumar to finish with 342 in their second innings and set England a target of 319 runs. The hosts found themselves in trouble thereafter as their first four wickets fell with just 72 runs on the board. But a gritty partnership between Joe Root and Moeen Ali helped them add 101 runs for the fifth wicket and fight their way back into the contest.
That’s when Sharma returned to the attack and turned the game on its head with a five-wicket burst. The lanky pacer bowled a barrage of bouncers to rattle England’s lower order and finish with stunning figures of 7/74.
Sharma said that Dhoni’s inspirational words to the team at the end of the penultimate day of the match played an important role in the victory.
“At the end of the fourth day I had already dismissed Cook and Bell, Mahi bhai told us that from here no one will think of a draw,” he said. “Obviously there was pressure on us on the last day. Moeen Ali and Root were playing bell so Mahi bhai asked me to start bowling short as nothing was happening. He told me to bowl short till we take the new ball.
“Just before lunch Moeen Ali was dismissed. While we were going in for lunch Mahi bhai told me that he will make me bowl in short spells and that I had to bowl short. I told him that now he should just let me bowl till the end of the match. After I bowled four overs on the trot, Mahi bhai asked me to take rest but I told him that there fuel in the car let it run.”
India ended up winning that match by 95 runs. It was their first Test victory at Lord’s in 28 years. However, England bounced back strongly to claim the next three Tests and win that series 3-1.
