India pacer Ishant Sharma has defended skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni`s decision to not give the ball to the in-form bowler at a crucial juncture of the fourth day`s play in the Lord`s Test against England, saying that he had himself asked the latter for a break.
Dhoni left quite a few surprised by not using Ishant -- who had destroyed England`s top-order with a hostile spell just before lunch -- straightaway into the second session.
"I am also human. I have a body to look after and there are three more Test matches. I had bowled 11 overs in the first session and during the break, Dhoni asked me if I wanted to bowl straightaway after lunch or if I preferred a break. I said I wanted a break," Ishant told reporters.
Ishant, who finished with figures of four for 59 in the second innings, credited Zaheer Khan for the success.
"I wasn`t used to the slope at Lord`s and was bowling from the pavilion end while Zaks (Zaheer) wanted me to bowl from the other end. I went my way in the first innings while I went his way in the second," stated Ishant.
"From the pavilion end, the slope of the wicket was taking my inswingers further away from the batsmen. When I bowled from the other end today, I was able to control my movement and a few deliveries held their line as well."
