Ishan Kishan, in his comeback game for India during the T20I series opener in Nagpur, had scored only eight. But the two boundaries he had hit before his dismissal indicated the kind of touch he is in at present.
The second T20I in Raipur on Friday was a testament to that.
With dew making the situation tough and unforgiving for the bowlers, the 209-run target didn’t really come across as too imposing for the Indians. But then, New Zealand had them wobbling at 6/2 in the second over with both openers, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, dismissed.
The situation was anything but ideal for Ishan, but the No. 3 batter grabbed the bull by the horns with his blistering strokeplay (11 boundaries and four maximums) to produce an innings (76 off 32 balls) that laid the platform for India to race home with as many as 28 balls remaining.
Converting domestic cricket success into the international stage is certainly a big test, but as of now, Ishan has cleared it quite well. If he continues in this manner in
the third T20I in Guwahati, India should be even better placed to seal the series on Sunday itself.
Expressing himself with the bat wasn’t Ishan’s problem even when he got dropped. But since the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, where he led Jharkhand to their maiden title this season, his batting has reflected the clarity in his mind, which stood out on Friday too.
“I was focusing more on what I had to do today (Friday) and being in a very good headspace. Sometimes you understand that you’re batting well. So, I just needed to get runs somewhere to answer my questions. Even if I got out, I just wanted to play good cricket,” Ishan said.
Besides, Ishan’s performance has put a bit of pressure on Samson, who couldn’t fire in the first two T20Is. With Tilak Varma expected to return from the fourth T20I, Ishan’s current form may well turn up the heat on Samson.
Today’s match: 7pm, Star Sports Network & JioHotstar