Former England cricketer-turned-commentator Michael Atherton believes that debutant Ishan Kishan's fiery batting at the top of the order helped his captain Virat Kohli to play his natural game in the second T20I of the ongoing five-match series against England on Sunday (March 14) in Ahmedabad.
Kohli had a dreadful home Test series against England and then fell for another duck in the first T20I that were potentially worrying signs for India and captain himself as questioned raised on the dashing cricketer’s batting and Atherton also said the star cricket felt the pressure.
However, the right-hander squashed all the doubts with entertaining match-winning innings of 73* in 48 balls to help the Indian cricket team chase down 165 with 7 wickets in hand and 13 balls remaining against England to level the five-match T20I series on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
Following his match-winning performance, former England captain lauded Kishan, saying Kohli was well supported by the debutant opener scored 56 runs in 32 balls to set up the easy win for India on Sunday.
Atherton told Sky Sports: “I think Virat felt under a little bit of pressure in that first game because of what he'd said in the press conference about India playing a slightly more aggressive game.”
The Englishman further pointed out, “The problem in that first game, with the line-up that India had, was that they had quite a lot of similar players in the top-order and I think Kohli felt pressured. 'I've talked the talk, let's walk it now' and it's not really his game.
He's (Kohli) an elite player and scores very quickly but not like a (Rishabh) Pant or, indeed, an Ishan Kishan. So when that young man came in and played the way that he did, I think that just allowed Kohli to come in and play his natural game. He's not playing the type of shot he got out to the other day, where he is backing away and trying to manufacture something.”
Atherton signed off by saying, “He's just playing a more orthodox type of innings for him, even though he's still striking quickly and getting those fast hands through the ball in those leg-side shots that he plays so well. I definitely felt this was a more Kohli-like performance than in the first game.”
