Former India pacer Ashish Nehra was left surprised after he was asked if senior fast bowler Ishant Sharma has already played his last Test for Team India, against England at Headingley. Nehra was shocked to see Ishant getting criticised after going wicket-less in the third Test which England won convincingly by an innings and 76 runs.

Senior pacer Ishant was far from his best in the Test match as he failed to trouble the English batsmen, conceding 92 runs in 22 overs without a wicket to show for his efforts. Several fans and experts have raised questions over Ishant’s form and fitness in the ongoing England series. However, Nehra feels it is too early to doubt the senior pacer.

Nehra said he was surprised when asked if Ishant has played his last Test for India and asserted the fast bowler should not be judged based on his performance in one game.

“It will be too harsh on Ishant Sharma if we judge and discuss his place in the side after just one Test match. Somebody asked me yesterday, was Headingley Test Ishant Sharma’s last? I was very surprised that somebody even asked me that question,” Nehra said during a media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network.

“You can’t judge someone like an Ishant Sharma on one game performance. Yes, we have good four-five bowlers and there is a competition there but you don’t want to see a different bowler in every Test match,” he added.

Ishant is one of the most successful bowlers in Test cricket for India and has already crossed the milestone of 100 Tests. He is one of the most experienced members in the current Indian team with 311 wickets in 104 Test matches for the country. Ishant has been a vital cog of the Indian pace attack in the longest format over the last few years

While Nehra admitted Ishant didn’t look on top of his game during the Leeds Test, he insisted it could have been because of a niggle he suffered ahead of the first Test. Ishant has so far played two Tests in the ongoing series and has five wickets to his name.

“Ishant is someone who bowls a no-ball here and there so do Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja. Yes, according to me, Ishant Sharma wasn’t looking in the best of the rhythms. We lost that test match so we are discussing that more. Ishant’s rhythm was not the reason we lost it. But don’t forget he missed the first game because of a niggle. In the second, it took him a while but because of experience of playing more than 100 Tests, he got back to his groove quickly and had a good Lord’s Test,” Nehra said