Ishan Kishan scored a 56-ball 89, lacing 10 boundaries and three sixes, which is now the highest individual score by an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman in a T20I inning, surpassing Rishabh Pant.
After showing signs of struggle in the T20I series against West Indies last week, young Indian opener Ishan Kishan bounced back to form with a stunning knock of 89 in the series opener against Sri Lanka in Lucknow on Thursday en route to India’s emphatic win in 1st T20I.
Sunil Gavaskar Will Wait For Ishan Kishan’s Consistency Despite His Terrific Innings Against Sri Lanka
Despite the knock and the record, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that the youngster needs to show consistency in a bid to find a place in India’s 2022 T20I World Cup squad. While he hailed some of his drives and pull shots, along with his knock in Lucknow, Sunil Gavaskar feels that the conditions in the first T20I aided Ishan Kishan in his knock.
“Certainly the way he batted today, that does give the indication. But this is only the first game. In the three matches against West Indies, he didn’t quite look comfortable. That length, pace and bounce were all different. Here the bounce was bellow the shoulder, towards mid rift, making it easier for him. But not taking away anything from his innings, some of the drives and pull shots that he played were terrific, but this was one innings. Let’s wait for consistency. Let’s wait a couple of matches,” he told Star Sports.
Earlier in the West Indies series, Ishan Kishan scored 71 runs in three innings as an opener at a strike rate of 85. The legendary batter feels once Ishan Kishan shows signs of consistency, he can make the India squad given that he offers a lot more to the team.
“Once the consistency is there, you can say that ‘this is the guy we want’, because he offers you three things – he is a wicketkeeper, he is a left-hander and he can bat at top and also finish the innings as well batting at 5 or 6.”
Ishan Kishan’s position as the opening batter was in doubt after his three lacklustre outings – 71 runs at 23.67 – against West Indies. However, an injury to reserve opener Ruturaj Gaikwad meant he got another opportunity to prove himself. The young wicketkeeper-batter scored an explosive 56-ball 89 in the first India-Sri Lanka T20I in Lucknow on Thursday.
Shreyas Iyer Also Scored Fifty As India Won By 62 Runs
Shreyas Iyer batted at No. 3 as a replacement for Virat Kohli, who’s on a break from international cricket. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain in IPL 2022, who has been in and out of the team of late, also took charge with a spunky 28-ball 57 after Ishan Kishan’s dismissal.
Ishan Kishan’s knock helped India set a target of 200 runs in the series opener with Shreyas Iyer also scoring 28-ball 57. Sri Lanka was restricted to 137 for 6 as India won by 62 runs.