Ishant had dismissed Tom Blundell, Tom Latham and Ross Taylor on Day 2 and completed the five-four with wickets of Tim Southee and Trent Boult on day 3 as the pacer finished with figures of 5 for 68.

India's veteran pacer Ishant Sharma has come out in defence of Jasprit Bumrah after his wicketless run continues in the ongoing New Zealand tour.

Ishant Sharma said he is unhappy as he hasn't slept for two days but he played because he was asked to play by the team management.

India staged a late come back in the third session of day two in Wellington but Jasprit Bumrah's form will be worrying for Virat Kohli.

Ishant Sharma took 3/31 while Kane Williamson scored a handy 89 to help New Zealand take a 51-run lead at the end of day two's play in Wellington.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said that the hosts are really excited to play India's pace attack consisting of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.

Team India skipper Virat Kohli hinted at Prithvi Shaw and Ishant Sharma's inclusion in the first Test at Wellington, starting on Friday.

Ishant had suffered a Grade 3 tear on his right ankle while playing for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy tie against Vidarbha at the Arun Jaitley Stadium last month.

Ishant, playing for Delhi, had twisted his ankle on his follow through while bowling against Vidarbha on Monday. The Test series against New Zealand is scheduled to start from February 21 in Wellington.

Ishant Sharma has sustained an ankle tear and is doubtful for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.

The injury happened in the fifth over of Vidarbha's second innings and Ishant Sharma's third over when he slipped while appealing.

Kohli and Ishant are next expected to turn out together for the Indian team when they face New Zealand in a two-Test series away from home in February.

Delhi now have seven points from three games and are currently placed 12th in the combined points list of the 18 teams in group A and B.

Ishant also feels that "better communication" with years of experience between him, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav also worked wonders for country's finest pace unit under Virat Kohli's captaincy.

After scoring 284 in their first innings, Delhi dismissed Hyderabad for 69 in just 29 overs with Ishant (4/19 in 10 overs) and Simarjeet (4/23 in 10 overs) sharing the spoils on day two.

Asked if Hyderabad failed to rise to the challenge as they folded up for just 69 in their first essay and followed on, the pacer said it was also about bowling in good areas.

Delhi managed to get just one point from their game against Kerala before enduring an outright defeat against Andhra Pradesh.

Ishant was given rest for a couple of Ranji Trophy games as a part of BCCI's workload management programme and he will now try to get back into the groove before the New Zealand Test tour.

The combination of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah has bagged 95 wickets in 2019 at 15.16 an average and a strike rate of around 30 

Indian fast bowlers bagged 95 wickets between themselves in 2019 at a record average of 15.16 hence capping off their best calendar-year performance.