"BCCI and Rohit think Ishan Kishan is Rishabh Pant" - Fans react as wicketkeeper-batter makes his debut in IND vs WI 1st Test
Ishan Kishan is set to make his Test debut for Team India in the first Test against West Indies at Windsor Park in Dominica on Wednesday, July 12.
The wicketkeeper-batter has been included after warming the bench during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. He received his maiden Test cap from former India captain Virat Kohli.
The 24-year-old has been picked ahead of KS Bharat as a specialist keeper in the playing XI. The latter got dropped after failing to make his impact in the first five Tests, scoring just 129 runs at an underwhelming average of 18.42 without a single half-century.
For the uninitiated, Kishan has so far amassed 2,985 runs in 48 first-class games at an average of 38.76, including six centuries and 16 fifties. The left-handed batter was last seen in action for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023, scoring 454 runs in 16 games, including three half-centuries.
Fans on Twitter came up with mixed reactions to Kishan's Test debut. One tweeted:
"BCCI and Rohit think Ishan Kishan is Rishabh Pant."
@mufaddal_vohra BCCI and Rohit thinks Ishan Kishan is Rishabh Pant 😂
Here are some of the other Twitter reactions:
Debut for Ishan Kishan in tests 🥳
Go well boy hope you will give an epic reply to your haters with your bat 🏏 https://t.co/qKhLyD7Uik
@ishankishan51
Congratulations boy for your debut …♥️🇮🇳
Make us proud
#IshanKishan #INDvsWI
@ShuhidAufridi But ishan kishan is wicketkeeper batsman. ks Bharat didn't do nothing that's why ishan is playing and it's good decision
Ishan kishan making test debut? Wallahi what happened to my beautiful team.
I no longer recognise my team https://t.co/7ri9xdfhuh
Congratulations on a wonderful test career KS Bharat.
#INDvsWI Ishan Kishan debuts.
I feel like Ishan Kishan can play the role of Rishabh Pant
#WIvIND
Congratulations @ishankishan51 👍
Hope you will fill what we are missing Rishab for.
Welcome to #TestCricket
#WIvIND #IshanKishan https://t.co/2bNAWTaH0n
Ishan Kishan playing a test match!
Last thing I would have expected from someone like Rahul Dravid!
Players like Ishan Kishan are starting a test match 🤮
Come back soon bro @RishabhPant17
When other youngsters are waiting for their chance to play for India and there is ishan kishan who is getting backed by the team even though he had poor stats in white ball and now going to debut in test
“I want two debutants to enjoy, they’ve worked hard to come here” – Rohit Sharma on Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal
West Indies have won the toss and elect to bat first in the 1st Test against #TeamIndia.
Live - bcci.tv/events/114/ind… #WIvIND https://t.co/2P5lISzV2U
Indian captain Rohit Sharma lauded Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal for making their Test debuts against West Indies on Wednesday. After being asked to bowl first, Sharma said at the toss:
“New guys in the squad, we just want to keep better as a team. I want the two debutants to enjoy, they've worked hard to come here. I want to make them feel comfortable and have some good memories of their first Test.”
It’s worth mentioning that Jaiswal has so far played 15 first-class games, amassing 1845 runs at an average of 80.21, including nine tons. The left-handed batter recently smashed a double century in the Irani Cup 2023.
Two debutants for #TeamIndia.
A look at our Playing XI for the 1st Test.
Live - bit.ly/WIvIND-1STTEST…… #WIvIND https://t.co/dArjNP2o87
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan (w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj.
West Indies (Playing XI): Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Alick Athanaze, Joshua Da Silva (w), Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican.
Click here to follow IND vs WI 1st Test live score updates.