Watch: Ishan Kishan hits two mighty sixes to reach his maiden T20I 50
Ishan Kishan pummelled two humongous back-to-back sixes to race to his maiden T20I fifty on Sunday.
Batting on 42 off just 26 balls in his debut game, the 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman took the attack to leg-spinner Adil Rashid in the tenth over of India's innings in the second T20I in Ahmedabad. On the first ball, he picked up a full delivery off his pads to club it over mid-wicket.
The ball went higher and straighter on the next delivery, as Ishan Kishan stayed low and clobbered his heave over the long-on fielder for another maximum. And with that shot, he reached his first T20I half-century off just 28 balls. Here's the video of that moment:
You can watch the first six here.
Ishan Kishan received a bear hug and some words of motivation from his captain, Virat Kohli, who was at the other end. Interestingly, earlier in the day, it was Virat Kohli who presented the youngster with his debut Indian cap before the game.
Ishan Kishan's celebration didn't last long, though, as Adil Rashid had the last laugh in the same over. On the last ball, Rashid hurled one quicker on the stumps and Ishan Kishan, trying to be inventive, went for a switch hit. The left-hander, however, failed to connect the ball as it rapped him on his pads.
Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli's partnership puts India in the driver's seat
India lost opener KL Rahul early courtesy a wicket-maiden from Sam Curran. But thereafter, it was all India as they set about their chase of 165. But Ishan Kishan displayed little nerves as he hit a four off his first ball to make his intentions very clear.
Unlike in the last game, Indian batsmen didn't come to the crease with a 'go hard or go home approach and instead, played more assiduously. They rotated the strike well and picked up boundaries when the opposition faltered. Ishan Kishan scored five fours and four sixes in his innings, while Kohli hit three and one, respectively.
The partnership between Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli laid the platform for India's six-wicket win that helped them level the series at one apiece.