"During The World Cup, When I Wasn't Playing, I Asked Myself..."- Ishan Kishan Vents Out Emotionally

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan stated that he had a conversation with Suryakumar Yadav about targeting a specific bowler in the first T20I. Ishan Kishan revealed that he told Suryakumar Yadav about his plan to attack Tanveer Sangha in a high-scoring run chase.

India secured a two-wicket victory in the first T20I against Australia in Visakhapatnam on November 23. Australia posted a formidable total of 208/3 in 20 overs. In response, the Suryakumar Yadav-led team successfully chased down the target with one ball to spare.

I Know How The Wicket Was – Ishan Kishan

Speaking after the match, Ishan Kishan emphasized the importance of targeting a specific bowler while chasing a target of 209. Kishan acknowledged the need to prevent leaving too many runs for the later batters, requiring him to take calculated chances.

“During the World Cup, when I wasn’t playing, I asked myself before every practice session ‘What is important for me now? What I could do?’ I practiced a lot in nets. I was constantly talking to the coaches about the game, and how to take the game deep. How to target certain bowlers. Being a lefty against leg-spinner, I know how the wicket was as I had kept for 20 overs,” Kishan said.

“When you are chasing 209, you need to target a bowler, who you can hit. Communication was very important in the middle. I had a chat with Surya bhai. ‘I’m gonna take this guy (down) wherever he bowls’ because we needed the close the gap between runs and balls. You can’t leave too many runs for the batters at the back. It won’t be easy for them to play the big shots straight away. I had to take my chances and I believed in myself,” he added.

Kishan targeted Tanveer Sangha during the chase, using the slog sweep effectively and hitting several boundaries. The southpaw made a significant impact by scoring 58 runs off 39 balls, including two boundaries and five sixes.

I Know How Suryakumar Yadav He Bats – Ishan Kishan

The left-handed batter emphasized the importance of the partnership with Suryakumar Yadav, especially after India lost two early wickets. Kishan highlighted constant communication about targeting specific bowlers and strategizing how to rotate the strike.

“A partnership was very important as we had lost two early wickets. I’ve played with Surya bhai. We are in the same IPL team so I know how he bats. We were constantly communicating about which bowler to target or how we are going to rotate the strike. The way we executed our plans in the middle… That was the time when I thought we are in the game,” Kishan further added.

Also read: “We Will Definitely Take A Call Tonight” – Suryakumar Yadav On Competition Between Jitesh Sharma and Ishan Kishan