How many players stick around to play 100 test matches? Not many. Of those who do, how many are fast bowlers? Even fewer. Well, Ishant Sharma is now one of them. On 24th Feb, in the third match vs England, he became only the second Indian pacer after Kapil Dev to reach this huge landmark.
Ishant Sharma has been around for quite some time now, he made his debut in test cricket in 2007. He started off as a teenager and he has achieved this record at the age of just 32.
It is physically very challenging for any player to be a part of 100 matches, but it is even more difficult for the fast bowlers. Fast bowling drains a lot of energy and fitness is the topmost priority. Virender Sehwag once said that he used Ishant Sharma to bowl long spells when they were playing for Delhi, This can be still said about him, he is as fit as ever to bowl those long spells.
He has picked up 302 wickets in his 100 matches and averages just over 32. He, for sure has a lot of cricket left in him and we would definitely see him picking up wickets for India in the coming years.
