Barbados, July 1: Pacer Ishant Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers with his six-wicket haul completed on Day 3 of the second Test at the Kensington Oval. Troubling the West Indies batsmen in the first innings with his pace, he reached the coveted 100-wicket mark in Test cricket at just 22 years becoming the fourth youngest cricketer to do so.

The young pacer spoke about his bowling in a media interaction.

Excerpts:

On picking the wicket he enjoyed most in his tally of six in the innings

The 100th wicket [I] enjoyed. That’s a memorable moment for me. Every Test wicket is like [important], but the 100th wicket is a memorable wicket for any Test cricketer.

On getting Ramnaresh Sarwan’s wicket three times in three innings

At that time the bowl was used, I was just consistent in bowling in the right areas [and] letting the wicket do the talking. That’s my plan against him and I think it’s working for me.

On how he has developed the straighter delivery and the out-swinger

Seriously, even I don’t know [how] the ball is going out. I can take it out while the ball is reversing […] The odd one just goes straight because, I don’t know, my action is not like that. I can bowl the out-swinger.

On whether he enjoys bowling with the old ball

Yeah, obviously. I really enjoyed bowling with the old ball because it is difficult and [it] swings very late. If you hide the shine it is very difficult for the batsman to play the reverse swing.

On whether the pitch had slowed down over the three days

It’s been similar. The wicket has a good bounce. I think it’s [going to] carry on [to] the fifth day as well.

On the marginal 11-run lead

[Whether] it’s an 11-run lead or one-run lead, you have some runs on the board. It’s not that we are starting from zero. Whatever we have is a bonus for us.

On his bowling

Pace and bounce are my strengths so [I’ll do] whatever I need to [maintain it]. It’s my strength, including swing. I don’t want to lose my pace and bounce.