New Delhi: The course of an innings, even in T20 cricket, seldom runs smooth as India found in the first two World Cup outings. Match-ups, too, are made in the T20 altar of success, but the decision to back Ishan Kishan although it would pair two left-handed openers is paying off.
Kishan’s India comeback after two years via the domestic grind has been an inspirational story. As India fly into Colombo for Sunday’s high-stakes Group A clash against Pakistan – rain is forecast with over 40% precipitation around the 7pm start – the 27-year-old will be extra confident when he looks back at his last innings against the rivals.
In the 2023 ODI Asia Cup, Kishan at No.5 hit 82 off 81b and Hardik Pandya 87 off 90 as the brothers-in-arms put on a match-winning 138-run partnership. Kishan has now discovered great calm in terms of his game and mind space, and can at least temporarily be tagged India’s unofficial No.1 opener with the real No.1 Abhishek Sharma recovering from illness and Sanju Samson not convincing. On Thursday, after his brilliant 61 off 24 balls in the 93-run win over Namibia, Kishan explained he was in a happy space, yet no longer the ‘joker in the pack’.
The player who would constantly be seen cracking jokes with teammates on the dugout was more serious on Thursday, giving the pep talk in the team huddle in the Delhi game.
“Everything (else) is secondary so I’m not just always joking, especially under Gauti bhai (India coach Gautam Gambhir),” Kishan let out a hearty laugh, explaining at the media conference about his remarkable turnaround. His knock took India to 86 in six overs, the highest Powerplay total in T20 World Cups, and past 100 in 6.5 overs.
Allrounder Hardik’s forceful 52 off 28 balls as a finisher and 2/21 in an impressive spell of pace sealed the game. The two are very close and had trained together during Kishan’s low phase, after asking to be relieved from the squad on the 2023 South Africa tour and then being cut out of the BCCI central contracts.
T20 match-ups apart, Kishan, for all his talent, has struggled to establish in the star-studded ODI squad, especially in the top-order. And in T20 where he was seen more as a back-up player, until he proved his form in Ranji and the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win by Jharkhand and got the backing from Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav for a spot as well as the opener’s spot.
It has left Kishan a very happy man, and a changed perspective is also helping his game.
Asked about his mature version, Kishan said: “I’m a changed man now. I don’t get into it too much, but I do enjoy jokes and everything. I do it, but earlier I used to do it 24×7, now it’s just 2-3 hours. I’m just focusing on batting and my keeping which is going to help me.” Of course, he couldn’t resist the coach-is-watching quip!
The Powerplay score was set up by Kishan’s 20-ball 50, yet it wasn’t slam-bang from the word go. There was some movement on the pitch, and he waited to accelerate. The result was India still getting to 104 in seven overs, which helped after Namibia spinners, skipper Gerard Erasmus and Bernard Scholtz, gave away just 20 runs in the next five overs, taking three wickets.
Kishan waited till the sixth over when he lashed JJ Smit for 6, 6, 6, 6, 4. He put it down to the flexibility advocated by Surya after the USA game. “I just kept it simple rather than rushing into the overs or getting excited and playing those shots. I’m just trying to be calm, watch the ball and play those shots. I’m trying to cut those moments off and try to play shots which I’m good at and which are on that particular wicket… Two-three dot balls also should not make a difference…like two balls (later), if you get two sixes, it is all covered. We have to wait for the time rather than just throw our wickets.”
However, Powerplay scores are going to be crucial in this World Cup. “We are looking to use the Powerplay as much as we can,” he said. “Tomorrow when we play Pakistan it might be different… it is important to be aware of the game situation.”
If Abhishek Sharma returns against Pakistan and clicks with Kishan, it will be a happy left-field choice.