Cricket News

‘I stopped thinking…’ – Ishant Sharma opens up on team India comeback and Indian T20 League mini-auction

Ishant Sharma is one of India’s prime bowlers and much to the surprise of the Indian fans, the pacer went unsold in the 2022 mega-auction of the Indian T20 League. With a base price of INR 50 lakh, Ishant will give it a shot yet again in the upcoming mini-auction for the 2023 edition set to take place on December 23, in Kochi. 

Ahead of the auction, the pacer opened up on going unsold and said that he is not bothered about the same. Saying that he loves playing for Delhi at the moment, Ishant claimed that he is not thinking about making a comeback for team India in the near future. Further, Ishatn weighed in on his family and said that he loves spending time with them, rather than worrying about his future. 

“I don’t really think about future too much. I am just enjoying my cricket right now. That’s why I have played all the three formats of this domestic season. I am not putting myself under pressure of ‘I want to make a comeback’ anywhere. I have left all these things out of my mind. As long as I am passionate about the game, I will keep enjoying cricket,” Ishant was quoted as saying to the Hindu. 

I have stopped chasing anything: Ishant Sharma

Further, when asked if he was satisfied with all that he has achieved over the years, the right-arm pacer claimed that he is unbothered about what the future holds for him. Ishant, who was a part of the Delhi franchise in the Indian T20 League earlier, added that he loves playing on the field at present and expressed his joy in helping the youngsters with all the experience that he has. 

“Not really. It’s not that I don’t want to go back there and play but I have stopped chasing anything. Wherever I am playing, I will give my 100 per cent but will not expect to be picked in the (national) team when I do well. Like I said, I have started enjoying myself on the field and helping out the youngsters whenever I can,” Ishant was quoted as saying further. 

“To be honest, I have stopped thinking about all these things. Once I go back home, I have my family, they love me. I have my dogs, they don’t really care what I do on a field. I have my wife, my parents and my friends, they just see me as Ishant and not as a cricketer. I just enjoy my life. I don’t care about whether I am wanted or unwanted anywhere. I am still playing this game because I love playing cricket,” he added.