Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan. Pic Credits: Twitter.

Ishan Kishan, and nobody else, should be India’s preferred opening batsman with Rohit Sharma in ODIs for the coming years, according to former India batsman Gautam Gambhir. 

In his most recent match, which took place in Bangladesh earlier this month, Kishan turned his first ODI century into a career-high 210. Now that Shikhar Dhawan won’t be playing in the ODIs, Gambhir thinks Kishan should continue to play. 

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Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan (PC-Getty Images)

You Cannot Look At Anyone Beyond Ishan Kishan: Gautam Gambhir

“I’m amazed we’re discussing this, because someone’s got a double-hundred in the previous innings,” on inquired who he would want to see as Rohit’s batting partner, Gambhir responded. “The discussion is over. It has to be Ishan Kishan. Someone who can get a double-hundred in those conditions against a reasonable attack – especially at [their] home – should play. 

“He got what 200 by the 35th over mark? You can’t look at anyone beyond Ishan Kishan. He has to be given a longer run. He can also keep wickets as well, so he can do two jobs for you. So for me, that discussion shouldn’t be there. If someone else had got a double-hundred, I think we would’ve gone gung-ho over that individual, but it’s not the case with Ishan Kishan. Because we still continue to talk about other players. For me, that debate is over.”

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Ishan Kishan (PC-Getty Images)
Ishan Kishan (PC-Getty Images)

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You Cannot Look Beyond Shreyas Iyer At No.5: Gautam Gambhir

Although Suryakumar Yadav’s 50-overs career thus far not being as strong as his T20 performances, Gambhir thinks he may still be a valuable asset at No. 4. Suryakumar has scored 384 runs in 16 ODIs, scoring just two half-centuries. Two of his three hits during his most recent game in New Zealand resulted in scores of 4 and 6. 

His fellow Mumbai native Shreyas Iyer has always excelled in the 50-over format. Iyer has a strike rate of 91.52 and a 724-run total in 15 innings this season. His average is 55.69. A prominent aspect of his batting has been the way he rotates his strikes and manipulates spin in the middle overs.

Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer (PC-Getty Images)

“It’s very difficult to look beyond Rohit and Ishan Kishan to open the batting, Virat at three, Surya at four, [and] Shreyas at five, because he’s been incredible in the last one-and-a-half years,” Gambhir said of his ideal India XI.

“Yes, he’s had issues against the short ball, but he’s been able to manage it. You can’t be the best against everything but if you’re able to manage it and got the numbers going for you, you can’t look beyond Shreyas at No. 5 and Hardik [Pandya] at 6.” 

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