Australia vs India 2018: Ishant Sharma is a Serial No-Ball Offender - Brad Hodge

Former Australian cricketer Brad Hodge accused Indian National Cricket team pacer Ishant Sharma of being a serial offender of overstepping following the Adelaide Test. Meanwhile, footages from the first Test raised questions on the umpires for not spotting as many as 16 no balls.

The main offenders, it has emerged, was Ishant Sharma with four no balls out of six in two separate overs. Surprisingly, one over from the seamer in Adelaide was bowled entirely over the mark with not a single ball being legitimate.

Brad Hodge stated Sharma was a serial offender and hadn’t learned his lesson in regards to overstepping the line.

“I don’t understand how a fast bowler pushes himself that far (over the line),” he said on the podcast.

In addition to, Damien Fleming accused umpires of being lazy. He also added that it is not good for anyone.

“Seriously, the umpires have to start calling no-balls. I think they’ve got lazy. It’s runs to the batting team — how many more could have Australia got? It’s just no good for anyone,” Fleming said on the Bowlology podcast.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes umpires have been turning a blind eye for some time now. Ishant Sharma was pulled up only twice for front-foot no-ball in Adelaide, costing him an lbw decision on Aaron Finch and potentially another on Nathan Lyon in the second innings.

“There is three or four from him (this over) … he is clearly over the frontline and it hasn’t been called. It’s not acceptable in the game to have this many missed,” Ponting said in Channel Seven commentary. “I’ve said this for a number of years, I honestly don’t think the umpires look at the front line anymore. They were blatantly obvious ones. As we all know they’ll only ever look at them if a wicket falls, which as far as I’m concerned is not right,” he added.