Boria Majumdar and Rohit Juglan
While some may remember him for Javed Miandad’s last-ball six in Sharjah, they may not be aware of the mental toughness that took Chetan Sharma to England just months later, and a place on the Honours Board at Lord’s. His 18 wickets played a huge part in the 1986 series win, and he spoke exclusively to Boria Majumdar and Rohit Juglan about his expectations for Lord’s, the bond with Akash Deep and how impressive Shubman Gill has been, both as a batsman and leader.
Take me back to your fond memories of 1986?
You know it’s a blessing for a fast bowler to be on England tour, especially on wickets like that. If you’re bowling on the right spots and areas, you’ll definitely succeed. I was the lucky one because we started with a lot of county games and I was performing well there and I got a chance to bowl number three because ‘Paaji’ [Kapil Dev] wanted me to bowl at number three.
Our first game was at Lord’s, and we hadn’t even seen Lords before so it was a very new experience. As soon as I entered the dressing room, I saw a board and told Maninder (Singh) that our names should also be on that board someday. As a 20-year-old boy, it was a dream to play the first Test at Lords. It would be every fast bowlers wish to bowl down the slope so that they can go with the speed. When we started the game, the ball wasn’t moving. My coach, Sri Desh Prem Azad ji, was also on the tour and was in the stands.
When I was bowling from the Pavilion End, he called and told me to bowl from the other end. He said: “Down the hill, you’re already so fast and you are running very fast. You will not get the length you want. So ask Kapil to bowl from the other end. I think that was the turning point for me. That is why we say we respect our coaches because they have better knowledge.
As soon as I started bowling up the hill, I got three wickets back-to-back – Mike Gatting, Allan Lamb and [David] Gower. And then it started playing in the mind that I can take five tickets as well. I still remember when I got the second new ball, I got [Graham] Gooch out, and then another LBW. This was the best chance to win with Sunny Bhai (Sunil Gavaskar) like a mentor to us. Me and Maninder used to sit with Sunny bhai all the time.
Yesterday, I was having a chat with Akash Deep to congratulate him and I told him to go and get 25-plus wickets.
As a senior, what would your advice be to Akash Deep when he bowls at Lord’s as you said the slope can be a bit confusing? Should he bowl from the Pavilion End or Nursery End.
If he has a chance to start bowling uphill, then he should, and once he gets settled down, he can use both ends. That was the case for me at least. After I got two wickets downhill, I could bowl from the Pavilion End and play well. Akash Deep also runs very fast like me and with his kind of run-up and follow-through, I kind of remember myself when I see Akash.
It’s very rare for fast bowlers that the batsmen is trying to play for outswing and it comes inside after pitching. So the batsmen would be confused. If such things are happening, it will happen more at Lord’s. If he feels he is running too fast down the hill, then he should try from the other end. Once you settle down, take a few wickets, then both sides should work.
You tweeted something about Akash Deep when he got selected, and that you were having a chat with him. That he could not even celebrate his call-up because his sister was going through cancer treatment.
Yeah, I was just trying to encourage him because I know he and Mukesh came into the India A side, and I have been telling the selectors from the very first day itself that these two will be the future in cricket if they keep working hard. So, as he was going through a tough time, as a senior, I was just trying to comfort him through my words. I told him that “we all have family and we should be there for them, and alongside we will have to establish ourselves as cricketers”.
If you do well in cricket and do well for the country, then the entire family will be happy. I told him that he should have the belief in himself that he is the best, and how he can balance family and cricket together. That is all I could do for such a guy who is going through such a tough time. I was actually very sad when Mohammed Siraj lost the catch, as it’s not every day that a bowler comes that close to a 10-wicket haul. When one comes into the Indian team, bowlers pray to get five wickets at first, and then the goal immediately becomes 10 wickets. It is very important for a fast bowler to get that milestone of 10 wickets, so I am very happy that he completed it.
When you were the chairman of selectors, was there leadership talk already regarding Shubman Gill? What was the process like? Did you believe that he would be able to lead India in all three formats?
When we were in the selection committee, he was in two formats, and then we got him into the third format when he got a hundred. See, things were not so clear at that point of time. But as selectors, we look at India A, we look at vice-captains, but the calmness this guy (Shubman) had was amazing. In fact, he has developed that more and more with time.
In the last two Tests, I was watching him very closely. I would say a lot of captains would feel lost after such a loss [Headingley] but his attitude was excellent. His expression, words, behaviour remind me a lot of [MS] Dhoni. As a bowler myself, I assess every captain on how he’s talking to the bowlers. I was watching how he was talking to Siraj, what is the bowler asking for, what sort of field Shubman is giving him.
I can see that he’s got a brilliant attitude. I’ve seen a lot of captains, I have myself played under seven captains in my time, I have been attached to cricket for long as a commentator/cricket expert as well. Hence, I have seen him batting closely for a long time, and I can say he has grown that calmness in a very good way. It’s needed in cricket. When he got two hundreds, we commentators were discussing that where one should bowl to him, because he is covering so much. The England bowlers were trying to bowl him inswing, where Shubman had trouble previously. They must have done their research, but Shubman has worked on that too.
See, a lot of players have the skills to reach the top 15 of Indian cricket team, but then, how do you multiply the skills and go ahead from there? That is what Shubham is doing. I am very proud of him, the way he has shown himself in the last two Test matches. It shows that Indian cricket is in good hands.
Bumrah coming back at Lord’s, but England would also have [Jofra] Archer and [Gus] Atkinson. So, do you think India can win the series?
See, if the heavy rolling is going on, then they won’t leave much grass on the pitch. If Bumrah comes in, I believe we can beat any side, even if they have Archer and Atkinson. I want to see Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj and Bumrah together. I even wrote to Akash Deep yesterday on message – “win it for us”, because it’s important to win a series in England. You still remember we won in 1986, right? If you win a series in Australia, the world will remember it for 25 years, but a win in England will forever be on the minds of people.
We did it in 1986 and we should win this time because we are capable. Our batting is a plus point. It’s just how and who is going to take those 20 wickets. If Bumrah comes in, then that possibility increases tenfold. Bumrah being there on the field with the team is more than enough as he will take wickets for sure.
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🚨Chetan Sharma Exclusive
Former India pacer and Chairman of Selectors joins us in an insightful interview, reliving his iconic 5-wicket haul in 1986 and sharing his thoughts on Akash Deep’s incredible rise, Shubman’s Calmness & India’s Big Chance at Lord’s.@AgeasFederal… pic.twitter.com/558pzknmps
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