The selection race for the Indian team is getting increasingly difficult with each passing day. There are plenty of options to choose from for top-order batters, wicketkeepers, and bowlers, but only eleven players get to play at a time.
Wriddhiman Saha, a veteran, has been axed from the Test side as the selectors have decided to put their faith in young KS Bharat, who was chosen as the backup for Rishabh Pant, who is the first-choice stumper in all formats, for the upcoming two Tests against Sri Lanka at home.
Ishan Kishan serves as Pant's cover in the white-ball format for India. In the shortest format, the former is already being groomed as an opener. Both have been teammates since the Under-19 World Cup in 2016, and while there is competition now that they are in the senior team, there is also camaraderie.
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In an interview with the Times of India, Kishan stated that he has never considered replacing Pant, and the latter has stated the same.
“Oh yes, he’s [Rishabh Pant] a very good friend. Whenever both of us are around, you’ll find us hanging out a lot with each other. We just keep watching movies whenever we find the time. We also talk a lot about cricket with each other about the game, what could’ve been done differently.
I speak my mind with him, and he does the same. Never once has it crossed my mind that I want his place and I can assure you, that’s been the case with him too. And most importantly, when we are in the middle of our cricket routines, we don’t even think we’re competing with each other,” Ishan was quoted as saying.
“When you have a good competition going with a talented player, there’s great fun to it too. You begin to realize those important things all by yourself-play good cricket and everything else will take care of itself. I love wicket-keeping so whenever an opportunity comes, I’ll try and give it my best,” he added.
Kishan has played in eight T20Is and three ODIs for India, scoring 184 and 88 runs respectively. He recently opened in a three-match T20I series against the West Indies but wasn't at his fluent best, scoring 35,2 and 34 in the series with an average of 23.67.
