Before Monday, Test cricket had witnessed its fair share of ridiculous and outrageous wicket-celebrations, and more so from its fast bowlers, says a report in The Indian Express, adding that there were some who would put their finger to the lips after having mouthed off a plethora of expletives in the build-up to the dismissal, some of these brutes have even dared to blow kisses of death at their victim. Never before, had we quite seen a pacer turn masochistic while celebrating his victim’s downfall.
“But then at the SSC, Ishant Sharma dismissed Dinesh Chandimal and then started hitting himself, smacking his own head to be precise. And strangely, it wasn’t the first time either that Ishant had indulged in self-flagellation on the fourth day of the third Test, that proved to be a stormy and ill-tempered one,” says the Indian Express report.
The gestures or the person they were intended for, though, were not merely incidental for Ishant. Nor were they impromptu. Their seeds had been laid around 45 minutes earlier during an ugly fracas that originally involved Ishant and Dhammika Prasad — two usually affable and fun-loving fast bowlers — but then began involving many other players.
According to a report in Deccan Herald, Prasad, normally a friendly character on and off the field, gave Ishant a mighty stare after the second ball of the 76th over, delivery that the Indian pacer evaded easily. “Shortening his run-up, Prasad delivered another short ball — no-balled for overstepping — which too Ishant neatly let go past him before sporting a smirk. Not too impressed, Prasad gave Ishant another mighty stare and then bowled a back of a length ball which the Delhiite steered away for a single and responded in kind. While completing the run, Ishant kept banging his helmet with his gloves, seemingly goading Prasad — going back to take his run-up — to hit him there,” says the report.
“Not to be left out of the action, Dinesh Chandimal then appeared to brush Ishant while crossing over which saw R Ashwin too getting involved in the fracas. Soon some of the Sri Lankan players converged at the centre that forced the intervention of umpires Nigel Llong and Rod Tucker. The umpires then had a word with Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews as well as Ashwin and Ishant as tempers cooled down before a bizarre incident occurred in the final ball. The moment Ashwin was dismissed, Ishant started to scurry to the dressing room when Prasad quickly collected his cap and shades from the umpire and started to chase Ishant. However, that seemed like an act to the galleries by Prasad as no incident was reported by the two.”
“All these things keep happening. They are very good friends off the field. I just saw them having a cup of tea after the game which is good,” said Rohit Sharma.
