"Gautam Gambhir supported me the most" - Discarded India seamer's stunning revelation on his favorite seniors post ENG vs IND 2025 series

Out-of-favor Indian pacer Ishant Sharma stated that current head coach Gautam Gambhir was the most supportive during his time playing Ranji Trophy cricket for Delhi. The 36-year-old mentioned that different seniors helped him at various points in his career. He also highlighted that Virender Sehwag was another senior player who supported him in the Indian team.

Sharma said that Sehwag was the kind of senior every player should have. He added that once the two-time World Cup winner believed in a player, he would make sure they got chances. He told sports commentator Padamjeet Sehrawat on his YouTube channel:

"There have been different seniors at different stages. When I was playing Ranji Trophy, Gautam Gambhir supported me the most. Then Virender Sehwag. When I played for India, there were so many big names in the dressing room that you were unsure about whom to speak to. You wanted someone with you when you were having a meal in places like Australia and South Africa."

"I approached Sehwag and he said, 'What are you tense about? Let's go'. Sehwag is the kind of senior everyone should get because he is very supportive. If he sees talent in a player, he will make sure that player gets to play. After I felt a bit settled in the Indian team, it was Zaheer Khan. I learnt a lot from him. Then MS Dhoni".

Ishant Sharma and Gautam Gambhir appeared together in several memorable Test victories, especially overseas. They were part of the team that defeated New Zealand by 10 wickets at Hamilton in 2009. That win was crucial for India in securing their first Test series in the country since 1968.

Later, both players also contributed to the Indian team that drew a Test series in South Africa for the first time in 2010-11. The series ended in a 1-1 draw after three matches.

Ishant Sharma praises Ravi Shastri for his ability to get performances out of players

Ishant Sharma, who last played Test cricket for India in 2021, praised former coach Ravi Shastri for the way he extracted performances from players. The 36-year-old recalled an incident in Sri Lanka in 2015, when he was banned from a Test match.

"I was once banned from a Test match. The Test match that I was banned from in Sri Lanka, things got heated up there. Ravi Shastri was our coach in 2015. Everything happened, and while we were having breakfast the next morning, he came up to me and said, 'Sharm, are you still angry?'. I said, 'No Ravi bhai'. He said, 'Bloody, you should be angry'."

"The one special thing about his coaching that I felt was that he knew how to get the performances out of a player. He knew when I was angry or when he saw that I was a bit nervous or had doubts, he would let out a line like that, like a pin, and I would be charged up. He was my charger," Sharma said.

Ravi Shastri was part of India's support staff during two separate periods. He served as Director of Cricket from 2014 to 2016. Later, he returned as head coach in 2017 and held the position until 2021.