Indian cricketer Ishant Sharma has revealed that he cried for almost a month after Australian allrounder James Faulkner hit him for four sixes in an over during the 2013 ODI Series.
Speaking on Crizbuzz’s new show, the lanky pacer admitted that the match and the spell he bowled there was the lowest point of his career.
“My lowest moment was that 2013 match in Mohali against Australia. I don’t know if I could ever have moment worse than that because I was…I don’t know. It was very tough for me. And it wasn’t because I gave away a lot of runs.”
“The thing that hurt me the most was I was the reason behind the team’s loss. I was dating my wife at that time and I just spoke to her and I think I just cried for almost a month. I used to call her every day and cry over the phone saying that team lost because of me,” he added.
India and Australia played a seven-match ODI series back in 2013. India came into the match, having levelled the series on Jaipur after losing the first ODI in Pune by 72 runs.
Batting first, India managed to post a competitive total of 303 on board. Australia faltered and could never really get going as India strengthened their chokehold on the match.
Requiring 44 runs in the last 18 deliveries, Australia needed something special and they got it in the form of Faulkner’s heroics. The right-hander carted Sharma for four sixes in an over and scored 30 runs.
Australia won the match with three balls to spare and Faulkner finished with 64 runs in only 29 balls as the visitors took a 2-1 lead in the series.
In the aftermath of the thrashing, Sharma revealed that captain MS Dhoni and opener Shikhar Dhawan came to him and gave words of encouragement.
“The good thing that happened was Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) came to my room and Shikhar (Dhawan), who was playing that game, also came and said, ‘Look you have been doing well (Dekh, tu acha khel raha hai).'”
Sharma may not have worked out for the Indian team in the limited overs format but he became a real asset for the side in Tests. His performances were one of the main reasons why India started winning away from home on a consistent basis.
(With inputs from agencies)
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