Happy Birthday Ishant Sharma: 10 Fascinating Facts, Stats, and Top 5 Performances of the Indian Pacer

Indian pacer Ishant Sharma celebrates his 36th birthday today, September 2. Ishant shot to prominence during the 2007-08 Test series in Australia. He went on to represent India in more than 100 Tests, establishing himself as one of the specialist pacers in red-ball cricket. He also enjoyed a successful career in limited-overs cricket as well, winning the 2013 Champions Trophy with the Men in Blue. Ishant was also honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2020 for his contributions to the sport. On this special day, let’s take a look at some interesting facts about Ishant, his career stats and his best performances.

What is Ishant Sharma’s nickname?

Ishant Sharma was nicknamed Lambu [meaning a tall guy] in the Indian squad due to his lean physique and tall build.

10 Interesting Facts About Ishant Sharma

1. Ishant Sharma is one of the tallest cricketers in the world at six feet and four inches.
2. He was just 14 years old when he started playing cricket.
3. Ishant considers the great Australian seamer Glenn McGrath as his idol.
4. He was the most expensive bowler in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), joining the Kolkata Knight riders for a fee of Rs 3.8 crores.
5. Ishant got the news of his selection for India from Virat Kohli. The Indian ace batter had to wake Ishant up by kicking him to give him the news.
6. Ishant his U-19 ODI and Test debut alongside Kohli. The duo also made First-Class and Ranji Trophy debuts in the same match.
7. Ishant bowled his fastest delivery during the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne in the 2011-12 Australia Tour. He clocked a speed of 152.2 kmph.
8. He is also the only other cricketer, apart from Kapil Dev, to have picked up six or more wickets four times in an overseas Test match.
9. Ishant is also the only bowler to feature on the lists of ‘Best bowling figures’ and ‘Most runs conceded’ in Indian Premier League history.
10. Not particularly renowned for his batting skills, Ishant had scored 31 off 92 balls in the first Test of the 2010 Border Gavaskar Trophy to help India win by one wicket.

Ishant Sharma Career Stats

Ishant Sharma has represented India in 105 Tests, 80 ODIs and 14 T20Is. In these matches, the fast bowler has bagged 434 wickets. He also scored 865 runs for India across all formats.

As for the IPL, Ishant has played 110 matches while taking 93 wickets in the competition. He boasts an economy of 8.23 and an average of 34.13.

Ishant Sharma Top 5 Bowling Performances

1. India vs England 2014, 2nd Test – 7 wicketsIshant Sharma was unstoppable during the second Test of India’s Tour of England 10 years back. During that match, Ishant destroyed the Englishmen with his excellent work with the old ball. He bowled short and aggressively to claim seven wickets during England’s second innings. India had won that match by 95 runs.
2. India vs New Zealand 2014, 2nd Test – 6 wicketsNew Zealand had to face Ishant Sharma’s wrath during the second Test of the bilateral series in 2014. Making a significant impact, Ishant dismissed the Kiwis top-order, including Peter Fulton, Hamish Rutherford and Tom Latham. He rounded up the innings with six wickets.
3. India vs West Indies 2011, 2nd Test – 10 wicketsAnother one of Ishant Sharma’s notable performances came during the second Test against the West Indies in Bridgetown. He scalped six wickets in the first innings. Ishant bagged four more scalps in the second innings before.
4. Deccan Chargers vs Kochi Tuskers, IPL 2011 – 5 wicketsIshant Sharma made a significant impact while defending a 129-run tally for the Deccan Chargers (now defunct) in 2011. He notched five wickets while giving away 12 runs. Having secured a victory for his side, Ishant also took home the Player of the Match award.
5. Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2023 – 2 wicketsThe Kolkata Knight Riders faced Ishant Sharma in 2023 who helped the Delhi Capitals register their first victory of the season. In his four-over spell, Ishant gave away 19 runs while picking the wickets of Nitish Rana and Sunil Narine. He won the Player of the Match award after earning a victory for his side in the final over.