Ishant Sharma issues ‘bouncer’ warning

India pace spearhead Ishant Sharma believes that bowling precise line and length consistently is the key to reap success in the arduous format of Test cricket. “We bowled really well and in good areas in Antigua, that's the most important aspect for a bowler in Test cricket. That's what we talked about in the team meetings that we have to be consistent in our line and lengths. We bowled according to our plans and that gave us the wickets,” the lanky fast bowler told bcci.tv.

“There wasn't much on offer for the fast bowlers in Antigua, the pitch wasn't doing much. That's why we decided to pepper the batsmen with short balls and mixed it up with the full length deliveries. West Indies batsmen were struggling against the short ball which was our plan and we stuck with it. This will be followed in the next match as well,” Ishant said ahead of the second Test which begins in Kingston on July 30.

The Indian bowlers took 168 overs to bundle out the Windies twice on a pitch that did not afford much assistance to bowlers. Fast bowlers in particular need supreme levels of fitness to bowl these many overs in a Test match. Ishant says they were all ready to come out and bowl once captain Kohli decided to enforce the follow-on.

“It all depends on your fitness, whether you are enforcing the follow-on or not. Once it was decided (to enforce follow-on) we were all ready and mentally prepared to go out and bowl again.

“We never had second thoughts about it. We cannot give excuses about being tired or anything.”