The Indian team already lost the ODI series after failing to chase 271 against Bangladesh in the second ODI. The third ODI was just a dead rubber, or perhaps just for the Bangladesh team. KL Rahul’s men needed to win the third one in order to build the much-needed momentum heading into the important Test series. And Ishan Kishan, the wicket-keeper batsman, ensured that India won the match without breaking a sweat.
Scoring a double hundred is not everyone’s cup of tea. Even the best players fail to accomplish this feat in their entire cricket career. Only Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, and Rohit Sharma scored a double century in one-day internationals for India. The left-handed Ishan Kishan has joined this elite club by scoring 210 off just 131 deliveries in the third ODI against Bangladesh.
That wasn’t all. Kohli accompanied the young leftie; the man who’s a beast with the bat carrying on coolly with the one who showed early signs of being one himself.
The man revered as the ‘King’ notched up his 72nd with India scoring a mammoth 409.
Just the kind of score that you read Test teams make in their first inning. Just the kind of score young Ishan Kishan’s undaunted batting helped India make.
In the second ODI, captain Rohit Sharma hurt himself while fielding in the slips. Ishan Kishan replaced him in the third ODI and grabbed the opportunity literally with both hands. He became the first player to convert a maiden ODI hundred to a double century. With Shikhar Dhawan having a hard time in the middle, Ishan will be considered an appropriate choice as a third opener or might replace him for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023.
How did Kishan make a place for himself in the Indian Team?
In IPL 2020, it was Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, and the blues were chasing 202. Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav got out for single-digit scores, and it seemed impossible to reach even 70 per cent of the target.
But Ishan Kishan, a young Jharkhand batter, had different plans and went on to score 99 runs off just 58 deliveries alongside Kieron Pollard, who crushed the Challengers by getting 60 off only 24 deliveries. However, their efforts were only able to level the scores and not win the game.
After that season, Kishan was just unstoppable, scoring huge in domestic tournaments and eventually making it to the Indian side for the T20I series against England in 2021.
Kishan made his international debut against England, taking on Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Adil Rashid. Ishan played these quality bowlers with ease and slammed a blazing fifty in his debut T20I game. In addition, he made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka under the leadership of his fellow competitor for the opening slot, Shikhar Dhawan, and smashed a fifty.
And now that he has scored a double ton, the fastest in ODI history, he will be able to secure a spot in the Indian team for the next several series leading up to the 50-over World Cup. The way this left-hander plays and the approach he has is what the team and the management are rooting for in the future.
With India hosting the 50-over World Cup next year, the Indian team and management would be under intense pressure to choose the finest possible squad. Ishan Kishan being a left-hander, has an added advantage over Shubman Gill, who has been steady for the men in blue in the 50-over format.
If Shikhar misses out on the World Cup squad, which one hopes doesn’t happen to the loyal contributor to India, then Ishan Kishan will be seen opening the innings alongside captain Rohit Sharma. Isn’t it?
Filling the shoes of a player like Shikhar will be a tough task for sure, but if there’s any left-hander who can do it, it’s none other than the pocket dynamo, Ishan Kishan.
