Legendary cricketers shared their verdict on KL Rahul versus Ishan Kishan’s place in the playing 11 once the Karnataka batter returns to the team for the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2023. Ishan Kishan showed excellent composure against Pakistan to bat them out of trouble in India’s campaign opener on Saturday.
Ishan Kishan has been one of the finest white-ball players for India in recent times providing flexibility in the Indian batting lineup. He has shown the ability to bat at different positions for the team in ODI cricket, and the southpaw has been in brilliant form in the ODI format of the game scoring four consecutive half-centuries so far.
During a discussion with Star Sports, former England cricketer Dominic Cork hailed the young Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan for taking up the opportunity to perform for the team.
Cork also asserted that he provides an option of a left-hander in the team and raised his concern regarding his place in the playing 11 for the World Cup once India’s regular wicket-keeper KL Rahul returns to the team.
“As a coach, you want players when the pressure is high and they take their opportunities. What I saw on the last day, with the side under pressure at 66 for four and with two new players in Ishan and Hardik, there were able to manipulate a quality bowling attack and go all the way through. But it also adds just that left-hand option as well,” Cork quipped.
“So it is a big call to say whether Ishan walks in straight into the XI ahead of Rahul. Yes, they are in the squad and you never know…Rahul had pulled up a hamstring as well a little bit…it’s a long tournament. It’s a great problem to have overall. But if I have to pick form-wise, I will go with Ishan in the first game,” he stated.
KL Rahul is set to return to the Indian team for the Super 4 stage of the tournament after a long-standing injury that he picked up during IPL 2023. He has missed out on the majority of the 2023 season due to an injury but is working to put his best foot forward to make a comeback into the side ahead of the World Cup.
Ishan Kishan Showed The Last Day Was His Ability To Adapt – Ravi Shastri
Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri lauded Kishan for his adaptability in the game. Shastri praised his game against Pakistan and reckons that it is good to have him in the team going into the ODI World Cup in India
“There was one question to be answered, We have seen him open the batting so we came to believe that if he plays he has to open because he has never batted in the middle order.
“What he showed on the last day was his ability to adapt. If he has that kind of ability to adapt in a pressure cooker situation against a team like Pakistan when your top order has been blown away, and then to show that kind of composure in his 82-run knock,” Ravi Shastri said.
“He is young, there was pressure on him in whether he should play or not, and then after doing that it is a good problem to have if you are an Indian selector because he is going to push you right till in the end for a spot in the XI and certainly against some opponents. You got to be flexible,” Ravi Shastri added.
Ishan Kishan was the best batter for the Indian team in the West Indies ODI series scoring three consecutive half-centuries. He has continued his fine form going into the game against the Men in Green in the Asia Cup opener and would look to continue the rich vein of form during the Super 4 stage of Asia Cup 2023.