5 epic clashes to look forward to in the upcoming England-India test series

#4 Alastair Cook vs Ishant Sharma:

Ishant Sharma has dismissed Cook 9 times in his career

Ishant Sharma has been the strike bowler for India in the test format, emerging as a consistent performer in the last couple of years. His tally of 238 wickets from 82 matches may not seem good enough but it hardly reflects the effort he puts in for the team, the kind of match winning performances he has been producing over the last few years and the number of times he has brought India back into the game, especially in overseas conditions.

Ishant played 3 test matches in the 2014 England tour following which he was ruled of the series with an injury which prevented him from reaching any further heights. In the 2nd test at Lords, he bagged the Man of the Match Award with a personal best of 7/74 in the second innings which is one of the finest spells ever bowled by an Indian bowler on English soil.

Alastair Cook, who has been England’s highest run getter in tests and is arguably one of the best openers in the world in the test format, has not been at his best in the last couple of years. The left hander has a good record against India, having scored 6 centuries but not so much against Ishant Sharma who has dismissed him 9 times in his career.

India will count on Ishant Sharma to recreate his past heroics against the England opener and provide India with the early breakthrough.