Indian National Cricket Team leveled the five-match T20I series against England which is being played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, as they won the second match by 7 wickets on March 12, 2021.
Ishan Kishan. Image-Twitter
Virat Kohli and debutant Ishan Kishan starred with the bat as India chased down the 160 odd runs in no time. Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar was all praises for the young Indian batsmen, especially Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant, and said that for them getting out is not a worry, but they look to hit every ball for a six or four.
It’s Just About Hitting That Next Ball For Fours And Six For Batsmen Like Rishabh Pant And Ishan Kishan: Sanjay Manjrekar
While Rishabh Pant played a cameo of 26 runs in 13 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes, it was Ishan Kishan who impressed on his T20I debut for India. He became only the second Indian to score a half-century on his T20I debut after Ajinkya Rahane.
Kishan slammed 4 sixes and 5 fours, hitting two back-to-back sixes off Adil Rashid to reach his fifty. Thanks to him, Virat Kohli could play his natural game and remained unbeaten on 73 as he took India past the finishing line.
Sanjay Manjrekar. Image-BCCI.
Sanjay Manjrekar was all praises for the young Indian batsmen and lauded them while talking on the ESPNCricinfo website.
“The thing to like about Ishan Kishan is that he is an excellent player of spin. But more importantly, what is exciting me is that these are batsmen who are not afraid to get out. Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan… they are not looking to extend their innings. No long-term plans. It’s just about hitting that next ball for fours and six, and if it is their day, they will get you a big score,” Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo.
“If they don’t play long enough, they will put you in a position like this where the other batsmen will come and wrap things up. That’s where I think Indian T20 batting might start showing a different phase where most of their batsmen won’t be caring about getting out and playing long innings,” he added.
Ishan Kishan Is A Formidable Batsman For Any Bowler Because Of His Variety Of Shots In His Kitty: Sanjay Manjrekar
Ishan’s selection comes on the back of a successful season for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020, where the youngster scored over 500 runs and hit 30 sixes as well, the most maximums in that season. Manjrekar called Kishan a very capable batsman against both short and full deliveries and his very good pull shot.
Ishan Kishan (Image Credit: Twitter)
“He is a formidable batsman for any bowler purely because if you pitch it up to him, he can hit you straight into the crowd. Bowl it short, he can pull you in the stands. And the pull that he plays is not an instinctive one kind of pull, one style that a lot of Indian batsmen play. His pull is not an inherent shot that we grow up playing. He actually picks his spots when he’s playing the pull shot,” Manjrekar said.
India plays England in the third T20I on March 16 at the Motera in Ahmedabad.
Also Read: So It Is Like Musical Chairs – Sanjay Manjrekar On India’s Opening Combinations After Ishan Kishan’s Fifty On Debut
