South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has heaped plenty of praise on Indian seamer Ishant Sharma.

Sharma benefitted from a stint with Sussex in English county cricket earlier this year – and has claimed 15 wickets in India’s ongoing Test series in the United Kingdom.

Steyn played alongside Sharma, for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. The Proteas pace ace is currently representing Hampshire.

‘I have been a big fan of Ishant for a very long time,’ Steyn was quoted as saying by bcci.tv.

‘I played with him at the Sunrisers and saw what he was capable of doing back then. I always felt that he was very unlucky because India played, at one point, a lot of Test matches at home in a row and those wickets are not helpful for fast bowlers.

‘As a fast bowler, you are kind of in and out of the side, and your team is regularly relying on spinners. And yet he has maintained focus and fitness to be able to come on a tour like this, when the fast bowlers are really needed, and stood up.

‘I am very happy that he has achieved the things he has done and played county cricket as well to prepare him for this summer.’

Sharma debuted in 2007 – and has taken 253 wickets in 86 Tests.