Ishan Kishan slammed 89 off 56 balls in the first T20I against Sri Lanka.
Opening the innings, the southpaw justified his whopping IPL contract tag of INR 15.25 crore as he slammed 89 off 56 balls to lay the foundation of India’s emphatic 62-run victory.
Speaking after the game, Kishan credited India skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid for his batting turnaround.
“Always a senior player would want a youngster to be in a good head space. Be it (coach) Rahul (Dravid) bhai, Virat (Kohli) bhai or Rohit bhai, they all have passed this phase. They are aware how we feel when we don’t perform well,” Ishan said at the post-match media interaction.
“I didn’t do well against the West Indies. They always told me that they know about my talent and what I can do for the team. ‘We trust in you. Never ever you think that we are doubting your abilities’.
“They always help you out with small, small things be it your batting grip or the attacking mindset.”
In the previous series, Ishan Kishan struggled to score runs with a good pace as he amassed 71 runs from three innings with a strike rate of 85.54.
However, the team management continued to back Kishan and the left-hander eventually lived up to the expectations.
“After playing so much cricket, you get used to the situation. Tough times will come but it’s very important to be in the situation. You don’t get too excited when you score runs.
“Same goes when you don’t perform. So you need to be in a very good space. You need to talk to your seniors, because they are much more experienced than us. So it’s very helpful when I sit with Rohit bhai for a conversation,” added the 23-year-old.
Ishan further explained how Rohit helped him out at the nets to overcome his shortcomings to rotate the strike and take quick singles.
“He (Rohit Sharma) always keeps telling me that ‘you can hit whenever you go out there in the middle. The important thing for me where I was erring was about rotating the strikes, and taking singles.
“Obviously he has helped me out in those areas, especially when I’m batting at the nets. He keeps telling me to try how to rotate the strike. ‘You can hit anyway, but it’s about rotating the strike and keeping the bowlers under pressure’, he would say.
“When you get their full support, our job is to continue our disciplined life, be it the fitness, homework, or batting pattern we just have to continue.”
Ishan further said he’s blessed to have so many senior cricketers in the dressing room as they keep showing him the way.
“Senior players always help you out. It’s not always about hitting hard, it’s about going there and playing with the bowlers’ mind and how to put him under pressure if he’s bowling well at that point of time.”
Ishan has been promoted up the order in the absence of regular opener KL Rahul, who sustained a hamstring injury after the second ODI against West Indies earlier this month.
“When you come to a level like this, playing for the Indian team, you have to be ready for every opportunity you get because there are so many players performing well and you cannot ask that coach I want to open or so…
“…It’s not just that you go there and you get to open, you have to wait for your time but when you get it, you have to capitalise on it,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)