India vs Australia, 3rd Test: Ishant Sharma joins the dots, finally

And for his part, the beanpole pacer’s held his end up of the bargain almost every time. He was the one who restored parity on that eventful first morning at the Adelaide Oval. He was the one who gave India a sniff in the second innings at the Gabba. And on the fourth afternoon of the Boxing Day Test, Ishant was at it again. Standing up for his captain and keeping the house in order.

The great debate

The Ishant Sharma length has always been a topic of great debate, and often immense frustration for all those involved with Indian cricket. It’s too short they often say. Too short to produce outside-edges, or to make a batsman think twice before shouldering arms, especially on Australian wickets. And for most parts in this series, Ishant has bowled his natural length, just like he has on all his previous tours Down Under, except that crazy morning where he fell into the trap of bouncing out Mitchell Johnson. Sticking to bowling short of length has meant, the Aussies haven’t scored too many off him. But it has also meant that he’s not been amongst the wickets. For the simple reason that he hasn’t bowled enough wicket-taking deliveries.

Right length

But ever so often, he can have a day where he gets it right. When the ball leaves his hand with the seam upright and his run-up is in perfect harmony with the delivery stride. It’s on these days that he also hits the right lengths. The full length, where the batsman is made to stretch forward, and tempted to play the drive. And on Monday, it was Ishant’s day out at the MCG. For the record, 65 per cent of the deliveries he bowled to the right-handers pitched in the ‘driving length’ between 4 to 6 meters. One of them got rid of Shane Watson, edging a delivery that left him slightly from a length. He then got debutant Joe Burns out of the way with a delivery that pitched more on his natural length and shaped away.

But while the two wickets were crucial, it was the control he brought to proceedings that was the trademark of the Ishant spell again.

David Warner had taken Umesh Yadav to the cleaners when Dhoni went to Ishant, who after taking the new-ball in three consecutive innings, was demoted to first-change again. The first Ishant spell was 4-2-5-0. This one ensured that Australia didn’t run away with the match. Watson was removed in his second spell before he returned for the Burns dismissal.

The thing with Ishant on the fourth day was as much his accuracy as his tendency to keep at the Aussies. As the ball got older, he started running in with the ball hidden in his left hand. It swung towards the shiny side for good measure, keeping the Aussies on high-alert. Then in his last over of the day came a loud shout for lbw as Shaun Marsh shouldered arms to a length delivery. But the ball had pitched slightly outside leg-stump. Marsh survived leaving Ishant on his knees.

For most parts of his career, it’s Indian cricket that he’s left on its knees hoping for the day their lanky pacer would find his length, his niche. But while it’s taken 61 Tests to get here, all India can hope for is for more days like Monday.

Rollercoaster ride

The best

Comes in to bowl on the first morning of the series in Adelaide after David Warner has gone ballistic, and bowls a spell of 6-2-11-1, removing Chris Rogers.

Removes Warner, Watson and Rogers in a spell where he hits the cracks consistently at the Gabba, and gets the ball to jag around uncomfortably from over and around the wicket. He gives India a faint hope at victory.

The worst

Smashed for 25 runs in two overs by Mitchell Johnson on the third morning of the Gabba Test, as he replaces Varun Aaron, who has just knocked out Brad Haddin with a terrific bouncer. India never recover from this assault.

Fails to lead the attack in the first innings at Gabba, with Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron left to fend for themselves, and goes at a rate of 5.08 an over.