New Delhi, Mar 6 India's new pace sensation Ishant Sharma possessed the cricketing talent from a young age and was groomed from childhood to make it to the big stage, his father said today.

"When Ishant was a young boy, we realised that he possessed the talent to play for India. I and other family members, including her mother, were very supportive of him playing cricket. We are happy that Ishant played a big part in the country's victory in Australia. I am very happy that Ishant has made the country proud," Vijay Kumar Sharma told PTI here.

"We were very particular about how he was playing cricket and what he was eating. From nine in the morning to seven in the evening, we used to monitor him. I made it a point that I or any other family member accompanies him with the Under-16 and Under-17 Delhi team," he said.

Sharma said from the time Ishant made it to the Delhi Ranji team in 2006, he knew that it was only a matter of time before his son was in the Indian team.

"He made to the Delhi Ranji team in 2006 and I remember in his first Ranji one-day match against Jammu and Kashmir, he took four wickets. On that day I told my family members that Ishant would make it to India team in a year and he did," the proud father said.

His predictions came true as Ishant played his first Test in May 2007 against Bangladesh in Dhaka while he debuted in one-day internationals against South Africa in June.

He took 14 wickets from nine matches in the recent tri-series in Australia. (Agencies)