Sehwag, Jaffer laud Ishant Sharma as the pacer crosses century of Test matches at Motera

Leading the wishes for Ishant Sharma on appearing in his 100th Test match in Ahmedabad, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag lauded the veteran India speed gun on the occasion. Highlighting that Sharma is only the fourth Indian bowler and only the second Indian fast-bowler to achieve the feat, Sehwag hailed the speedster's hard work and toil. Just ahead of the pink-ball Test at the grand Motera Stadium on Wednesday, Ishant Sharma was also felicitated by President Ram Nath Kovind and Home Minister Amit Shah on the occasion of his 100th Test. 

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By achieving the feat, Ishant Sharma has now joined former India World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev as he became the second pacer after him to play a century of Test matches. The Indian team also gave Ishant a guard of honour just before play started in the Pink-ball Test against England. Leading the pace attack against England, Sharma swung into action quickly as he picked the first wicket early in the day to dismiss Dom Sibley for a duck. 

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Former India Test specialist Wasim Jaffer also took to Twitter to wish the speed gun on his achievement. Jaffer remembered Ishant's iconic spell at the WACA when he troubled Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and eventually dismissed him.

"If your career is 14 years long and you are still playing, you cannot name just one highlight. It is difficult to pinpoint just one highlight, every sportsperson has the graph going up and down," Ishant told reporters just before the match.  Ishant is just 9 wickets away from matching Zaheer's tally of 311 Test wickets. He made his debut for India in Dhaka against Bangladesh in 2007 and has since bagged 302 wickets in 99 Tests at 32.22.

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India dominate session 1

Winning the toss for the third Test of the series, Joe Root chose to bat first at the newly-built Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, putting Team India to field. Playing his 100th international Test, Ishant Sharma swung into action early as he dismissed Dominic Sibley for a duck. Local boy Axar Patel didn't hold back either as he trapped Jonny Bairstow for a duck as well, bagging the second wicket for India within the first 10 overs of the lone day-night Test of the series.

Ravichandran Ashwin then got the better of Joe Root as he dismissed the English skipper with the help of Umpire's Call while Axar Patel dismissed Zak Crawley right after the opener notched up his half-century. At the end of session 1 on day 1, England are 81/4 with Ben Stokes and Ollie Pope on the crease. 

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