IPL 2024: Ishant Sharma reveals new slower ball after Virat Kohli, KL Rahul scalps

35-year-old Ishant Sharma flaunted his new variation after winning the Player of the Match award in Delhi's last league game of IPL 2024 -- a 19-run win over Lucknow at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, May 14. Ishant broke the back of LSG's top-order in their 209-run chase, picking up the big wickets of KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock before he got Deepak Hooda trapped LBW as LSG slipped to 41 for 4.

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Ishant Sharma finished with 10 wickets from 9 matches in the IPL 2024 league stage, managing to play the most number of games in his career in the T20 tournament since 2019. Notably, in Delhi's previous game against RCB in Bengaluru, Ishant got the big wicket of Virat Kohli with a slower delivery that shaped away from the star batter. Ishant produced a similar delivery that caught the leading edge of KL Rahul on Tuesday.

When asked if it was his knuckle ball, Ishant Sharma revealed that captain Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel were teasing him, which led him to work on a new variation. Ishant revealed it was with that new delivery that he got the wickets of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul in DC's last two IPL league games in the season.

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"In the last few games, I have been trying to bowl the knuckle ball, but it was not going very well. Rishabh and Axar were making fun of me, telling me that I shouldn't be bowling the knuckle ball. So I had to bring in something new. Last two games, I was working on this new slower ball. Hopefully, it worked for me. Even in the last game, I got Virat out and in this game, I got KL out," Ishant Sharma said.

ISHANT ON SECRET TO HIS LONGEVITY

Ishant was having fun in Bengaluru on Sunday as he was involved in on-field banter with Virat Kohli. Ishant gave a 'friendly' send-off to his Kohli, flaunting the camaraderie he shared with his good friend.

Speaking about the longevity in the game, Ishant Sharma, who has been playing IPL from its inaugural edition, thanked physio Patrick Farhart for helping him stay fit and play nine matches in the IPL 2024 season.

"I don't think too much about these things; I take it by a day. I just look forward to each day. I just want to thank Patrick because of him, I was able to play nine games," he said.

Ishant Sharma finished with figures of 3 for 34 in 4 overs, helping Delhi restrict LSG to 189 for 9 in 20 overs and seal a 19-run win. Delhi moved to the fifth spot in the IPL 2024 points table after their 7th win of the season, but it's unlikely to be enough to help them find a place in the playoffs.