Chetan SHARMA

Will the real Chetan Sharma please stand up. That is a necessary exhortation, for there were definite suspicions that a fake Chetan Sharma was operating in the northern leagues of England in the early 1990s, capitalising on the Test performances of the real Sharma. The medium-fast bowler from Haryana was one of that long line of small, accurate Indian medium pacers which stretches from Desai, through Abid Ali and Madan Lal, on to the likes of Roger Binny and Manoj Prabakhar: The kind who scuttles in and bowls low to the ground on lifeless wickets and frustrates batsmen into indiscretion. Sharma frustrated and at times outthought the best batters of the day. A nephew of the dogged Indian batsman Yashpal Sharma, he made his Test debut in Colombo in 1985-86 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev. He had figures of 3-81 - all top order batsmen - and followed that with 5-118 in the second Test and 3-65 in Kandy. Despite that Sri Lanka won the series 2-1. In Australia he had little success with the ball, but scored 54 batting at number three as a nightwatchman in Adelaide, sharing a century partnership with Sunil Gavaskar and ending as second top scorer. In England in 1986 he took 5-64 at Lord's and 4-130 at Edgbaston. When Australia came to India in 1986-87 he failed to take a wicket in the tied Test in Madras, but did score 30 and 23. He took 5-55 against West Indies in Delhi in 1987-88, and 3-64 in Bombay. Touring the West Indies in 1989 he took 3-54 in the Indian like conditions of Port of Spain, dismissing Viv Richards for 0 and Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes for single figures. Chetan's final Test appearance came in the fourth and final match of the series as the Indians fought out a draw in Kingston, Jamaica. (Bob Harragan) .

Chetan SHARMA - India - Test Record