"Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer proved why they are rated so highly" - Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria
Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria recently praised team India's Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer for their exploits with the bat in the T20I series opener against Sri Lanka.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former cricketer pointed out that the two dynamic batters once again proved their worth in the shortest format. He said that both Kishan and Iyer are explosive batters, which is why they were in great demand at this year's Indian Premier League (IPL 2022) auction.
Kaneria said:
"Both Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer fetched lucrative contracts at the IPL auction. With their performance against Sri Lanka, they proved once again why they are rated so highly in T20 cricket."
89 runs off 56 deliveries!
How good was that knock from @ishankishan51?
Live - bit.ly/INDvSL-1STT20I #INDvSL @Paytm https://t.co/VxfnW6NTrV
Kishan emerged as the most expensive cricketer at the 10-franchise IPL mega auction. The Mumbai Indians went all out to acquire the talented youngster's services and re-signed him for a whopping ₹15.25 crore.
Iyer was another Indian star who earned a staggering deal in the two-day affair. The Kolkata Knight Riders roped in the right-handed batter for ₹12.50 crore after winning an intense bidding war against the likes of Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals.
"Ishan Kishan knows the importance of the Sri Lanka series" - Danish Kaneria
Kaneria added that Kishan is aware that he needs to make the most of his opportunities, considering that Rishabh Pant is team India's first-choice wicketkeeper across formats.
The 41-year-old remarked that while the southpaw struggled against West Indies, he was exceptional in the opening clash against Sri Lanka. He highlighted that the left-hander made batting look very easy, despite the wicket being difficult to bat on initially. Kaneria stated:
"Kishan made batting look very simple during his stay at the crease. The wicket was slow and the ball wasn't coming on to the bat nicely. In spite of that, Kishan batted outstandingly. He knows the importance of this series as Rishabh Pant is still the number 1 keeper for India. He needs to make the most of his chances. While the West Indies series proved to be underwhelming for him, he has started off brilliantly against Sri Lanka."
India secured a stunning 62-run victory over Sri Lanka at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Thursday to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Ishan Kishan was the top performer for the hosts with an 89-run knock. Shreyas Iyer also contributed significantly, remaining unbeaten on 57.
Watch Kaneria's full video here: