Ishant Sharma Tweaks Name in Bid to Revive Bowling Form
“I don’t know how or why, but I feel more at peace since changing my signature.” — Photo by AFP
NEW DELHI: While Ishant Sharma hasn’t been a major threat to Australian batsmen lately, the superstitious Indian pacer is hoping a change in his signature will work some magic and turn his fortunes around.
The 23-year-old fast bowler, currently grappling with inconsistent form and a nagging ankle injury, has taken a rather unconventional step to rejuvenate his career: a new signature. After consulting a graphologist—an expert in the study of handwriting as an expression of character—Sharma decided to alter the spelling of his name to ‘Isshannt.’
“I don’t know how or why, but I feel more at peace since changing my signature,” Sharma was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
However, early signs are inconclusive. In the ongoing first Test against Australia in Melbourne, Sharma struggled to make an impact, though he did manage to claim a single wicket in the second innings after toiling through the first.
Despite his speed, Sharma acknowledges that his time spent perfecting the new signature might be distracting him from his bowling focus.
“Instinctively, I still end up writing my old signature, it’s hard to let go. But I’m working on it. I’ve gone through about 20 notebooks practising,” Sharma said. “I haven’t changed it on official documents or my bank account, though—that would take a long time.”
Interestingly, his father, Vijay Sharma, was unaware of his son’s decision to modify his signature. “I’m not sure about it. He’s still Ishant on paper, and I don’t know if he has changed his autograph,” he told Reuters.
Sharma’s name-change attempt is hardly unique, though. Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth, who was involved in selecting Sharma for the Test series, is rumored to have added an extra ‘k’ to his surname, though he has not confirmed the change. Similarly, former all-rounder Sanjay Bangar changed the spelling of his name to ‘Sunjoy’ in hopes of boosting his career—though his international playing days ended after just 12 Tests and 15 ODIs.
The phenomenon is more common in Bollywood, where some directors and actors tweak their names or film titles with extra letters, hoping for an increase in luck and success. Rakesh Roshan, for instance, is known for films with titles starting with ‘K,’ a pattern some believe brings good fortune.
For now, Sharma will continue to experiment with his signature, hoping that a small change off the field will lead to bigger results on it.
