India vs West Indies: Ishant Sharma set to overhaul Kapil Dev's record

Add as a preferred source on Google

Bengaluru, August 29: Ishant Sharma has been a much transformed bowler now, doing the role of a senior pro in the side with aplomb. Ishant showed his maturity int he first Test against the West Indies at Antigua, taking a match-haul of eight wickets.

Now, he is set to break the mark of legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev as the second highest wicket-taker for India outside Asia. Kapil and Ishant now have 155 wickets abroad and the Delhi pacer needs one wicket to overhaul the former Indian skipper. Incidentally, Ishant and Kapil took an identical 45 Tests to reach 155-mark.

However, former India captain and legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble tops the list with 200 wickets from 50 Tests outside Asia. Former left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan is fourth in the list with 147 wickets from 38 Test matches. And former left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi occupies the fifth slot with 123 wickets from 34 Tests.

After the first Test in North Sound which India won by 318 runs, in an interview, he credited teammate Jasprit Bumrah for his success and said, "There was rain and after that the ball became wet and there was nothing happening (with the ball). So, we thought we can bowl with a cross seam. There was a bounce. Actually, Bumrah told me that we can try cross-seam since there is nothing happening."

"The attempt was, if you bowl out the opposition as soon as possible, it is good for your team. We tried that we were able to do that."

The second Test in Jamaica will be India's last match of the tour. India have already won the T20I and the ODI series quite comfortably and the Kohli-led side will be looking to complete a total whitewash of the Windies winning the Test series as well. Ishant on the other hand will be eager to add a few more wickets and round off the series as the highest wicket-taker.