"Case closed" - Fans back Ishan Kishan to retain his place in India's playing XI when KL Rahul returns
Ishan Kishan gave a good account of himself for the wicketkeeper's role in the absence of KL Rahul during India's Asia Cup game against Pakistan in Pallekele on Saturday.
Deciding to bat first, the Men in Blue were reeling at 66/4 inside 15 overs. However, Ishan joined hands with Hardik Pandya to bail the team out of danger. The two stitched together a 138-run stand for the fifth wicket to put India in a commanding position.
Ishan, in particular, was remarkable with the bat, recording his fourth consecutive ODI half-century. The left-handed batter displayed a calm head and took calculative risks to keep the scoreboard ticking. His 81-ball 82-run knock comprised nine boundaries and two sixes.
Although the game was called off due to a wet outfield after the first innings, Ishan Kishan has given the Indian think tank a good headache. With KL Rahul also fit for the next game, the management would lose sleep over whom to pick between the two.
Fans, however, backed Ishan to keep his place in India's playing XI as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. Many felt that Rahul shouldn't return to the side if not for any injury.
Here are some reactions:
“Ishan has done everything possible to become the frontrunner” - Gautam Gambhir backs Kishan for World Cup
Gautam Gambhir has backed Ishan Kishan to be in India's squad for the ICC ODI World Cup, saying that he has done enough to be among those 15 players. The selectors are likely to announce the provisional squad on Sunday, September 3, for the 50-over showpiece event, scheduled to be played on home soil, starting October 5.
Gambhir said on air during the India vs Pakistan clash:
"Ishan has done everything possible to become the frontrunner. We are only making this argument because he hasn't played as many international matches as Rahul. There have been many players who have lost their spot in the team due to injuries because their replacement player performed impressively. Few had to wait for their chances while other did not even get another chance. This is the reality."
“Yes Rahul is a proven player at No. 5 but for Ishan, who has never batted at that position comes in and score 82 against a bowling attack like Pakistan under that pressure, then you cannot compare the two at all," Gambhir concluded.
Should Ishan Kishan retain his place in India's playing XI ahead of KL Rahul? Let us know in the comment section.