India, Sept. 5 -- With nearly two decades in international cricket, former India pacer Ishant Sharma is no stranger to the demands of the game. On Teachers' Day today, the Arjuna awardee reflects on three mentors - coaches Shravan Kumar, Jason Gillespie, and Ayush Mehendiratta - who shaped his journey and taught him lessons beyond the field. The 37-year-old, who plays for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, chronicles each coach's impact at different stages of his career. "They taught me to never stop the grind. If you don't work hard every day, you won't get results. And if you keep working hard, the results will come, maybe not today but definitely tomorrow," says Ishant. It was Shravan, his first coach, who laid the foundation. "Shravan sir taught me everything. He made sure I always had that hunger and desire to be there, and that is something I have carried with me throughout [my career]." Then former Aussie bowler Jason gave Ishant the courage to trust his strengths. "He told me I could maintain my speed and still bowl full," Ishant recalls, adding, "That I shouldn't be scared of pitching it up, because that's where the wickets are. It sounds simple, but, it changed so much." Later, it was Ayush's mentorship that helped Ishant prolong his career. "The training with Ayush really helped me maintain myself. I wish I had had that before, because it would have reduced my injuries, and I would have learnt to manage my workload even better. But even when it came late, it made me stronger," he concludes....