Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has highlighted Ishan Kishan’s IPL numbers should not be taken into account for his T20I selection. While Kishan has done a decent job for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, he is yet to replicate the same success for the national team.
In fact, Kishan hasn’t gone past the 40-run mark in the last 15 T20I innings. Kishan has scored 686 runs in 29 T20Is at an average of 24.5 and a strike rate of 121.63.
Kishan has a better IPL record as he has scored 2324 runs in 91 IPL matches at an average of 29.42 and a strike rate of 134.26. However, the left-hander has returned with scores of six and 27 in the first two T20Is against the West Indies and thus he was dropped from the final XI in the third game as Yashasvi Jaiswal made his T20I debut.
Speaking on his YouTube Channel, “Suryakumar Yadav is not the only one who is stuck. Ishan Kishan has also had difficulties. He has scored a double century in ODI cricket as an opener but he hasn’t fired in T20Is. Let’s not confuse T20Is with the IPL.”
“In the IPL, you have a long season of 14 matches, if you bat at the top of the order and are an important player, like Ishan Kishan is for the Mumbai Indians, your place is secured and you keep on playing in one way. You know that there are a lot of matches. So you find your rhythm at some stage.”
Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan scored 454 runs in 14 matches for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023 at an average of 30.27 and a strike rate of 142.76.
The reputed commentator added that Kishan’s place is not secured in the T20I format as he hasn’t performed consistently.
“However, when you play T20Is, one series comes in three months. If you don’t start well in that series, suddenly you start thinking because the number of matches is limited and your place is not yet fully secured, someone or the other is waiting behind you.”
Chopra highlighted Kishan has also played a lot of dot balls, which is building pressure on him.
“So if someone is waiting and there is pressure on you, sometimes you tend to forget what your template was. If you see the current series, he played only two matches, he has more than 50% dot balls. Ishan Kishan didn’t use to play so many dot balls.”
The fourth T20I between India and the West Indies will be played on Saturday at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida.
