"Even If He Scores 1000 Runs...": Ex-Pakistan Star's Interesting Take On Ishan Kishan
The former Pakistan cricketer was not impressed with how the Indian team management has used Ishan Kishan.
Ishan Kishan was the standout performer for the Indian cricket team in the recently-concluded ODI series against West Indies with 184 runs. He scored a half-century in all three matches of the series and his consistency earned him praise from experts and fans alike. However, when it comes to the ICC World Cup 2023, Kishan is likely to be used as a middle-order option if he makes the team as a replacement for Rishabh Pant. As a result, there is a chance that Kishan can have very less practice in that particular slot despite flourishing as an opener. Former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt was not impressed by the decision taken by the team management and said that Kishan needs assurances from the side.
“I absolutely agree (that India's experiment with Ishan was confusing). One guy being dropped after scoring 200... What's the point? Either they accept the fact that he is second option, even if he scores 1000 runs in a single innings. That never gives you the feeling of being the best, never gives you the feeling that you will be rewarded for your performances. Currently, the feeling is no matter what you do, you will be the second option,” Butt said on his official YouTube channel.
Kishan was awarded the 'Player of the Series' award in the final ODI against West Indies and in the post-match presentation, he made an interesting remark.
"Not so happy with the finishing that I gave. I was supposed to score big after being set. That's what my seniors told me, I should've stayed in and scored big. That's what I'll try next time, I'll get set in the middle and score big. It's important at this level to get set. It's important to forget the last game and start from 0. I was thinking of taking it one ball at a time. [On Shubman Gill] He's a tremendous player, I've seen how he middles the ball. Seeing him hitting it out of the middle gives me a lot of confidence as well," Ishan said.
"Always important to win at this level, the learnings from these games are important. We were looking to get early wickets, and didn't let any ball go. Everyone is looking very positive. I've played a few tournaments here and I know how the wickets play here, not really thinking about the next T20 world cup. Focusing on the upcoming tournaments, you know how one tournament can change your life. We're just focusing on that now," he added.
(With ANI inputs)
India Cricket Team