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Haven’t done well in shorter formats, says Ishant Sharma

India pacer Ishant Sharma on Monday admitted that he knows he has not performed well in short formats of cricket, especially in T20s.

India pacer Ishant Sharma on Monday admitted that he knows he has not performed well in short formats of cricket, especially in T20s. Ishant, currently in the Caribbean preparing for India’s four-Test series against the West Indies, said that he has done well in Test cricket and this is one format he can keep doing better.

Ishant, who made his debut in 2007, has so far played 68 Tests, 80 ODIs and 14 T20Is for India. Ishant is at the eighth spot in the list of most wickets for India in Tests, as he has so far grabbed 201 wickets in 68 Test. But, in 80 ODIs, he has 78 scalps to his name and in 14 T20Is he has only 8 wickets.

“If you are not playing all formats of the game obviously you are going to get time to rethink yourself and stable yourself. And then you can get to know whatever things you need to work on. But if you are playing all formats of the game it is very difficult for you to think what is going wrong for you and what is going right. It is very difficult because you have very short time to understand all these things,” he told bcci.tv.

He added: “I know I did not do well, especially in the T20s, but I think everybody has their own strength. I always believe in that. And there is no harm for you to accept that thing; you have to be honest with yourself, which is the most important thing. I know I did not do well in the shorter formats of the game so I accepted it but I am doing well in Test cricket; I know what is my strength and I know I can do better in that.”

Ishant said it is important to switch off when you are not playing cricket, adding that his fiancée has been a pillar of strength to him. Ishant is engaged to Indian basketball player Pratima Singh.

“The important thing is recovery, especially on the mental front. Because physically obviously you do not get tired that much if you are bowling or training. But I think mental is the most important thing. You need to switch off, so how are you going to do that, you are going to enjoy yourself with your teammates, you be with your family.

“I am lucky with the kind of fiancée I got. She is the one always looking forward to me and she is always helping me,” he added.

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