Ishan Kishan, 22, has said that, as a cricketer, he has had many individuals shape up his performances and help him succeed. Such an example would be his Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma’s influence in making him comfortable ahead of his big India debut.
The youngster said that it was indeed his ‘Rohit Bhai’ who had a word with him before the 2nd T20I against England, which India won by seven wickets on Sunday, and asked him to go out and bat without any inhibitions. Rohit Sharma asked Ishan Kishan, who was asked to open for India, to play as freely as he does in the IPL.
“As a cricketer, many people are there who play different roles to help you succeed. Rohit Bhai told me before the match that you will open, play freely as you do in the IPL. He told me to stay clear. Obviously, I was nervous when I went out there, but at the end of the day, when you see the flag of your country and you are wearing the national jersey, all you want to do is give your best,” said Ishan Kishan during a post-match press conference.
The left-handed batsman, who scored a 32-ball 56 on his T20I debut, said that there was nothing be changed for India after the 1st T20I loss to England. According to Kishan, India just had a bad game and there were no major changes to be made.
“I think there was nothing to be changed after the first game. We had a bad game but still, you have to stick to the process which we have decided. We have to stick to our plans. There were small things which we took care of and we did not change anything from the first T20I.”
“I get happy when I see the U-19 guys performing well, it is always a proud moment to see them perform. When I go out there in the middle, I always think about how I can improve myself. I just think about how I can get better with each passing day. As the level keeps on increasing in your cricket, there is no fixed spot for you. You keep on floating. I do not think about any number, I just do what the team requires,” Ishan Kishan said about his fellow teammates from his U-19 days.
The five-match T20I series between India and England, with all matches in Ahmedabad, is currently level at 1-1 and the 3rd T20I will be played on Tuesday (March 16).
