NEWS
Follow UsIshan Kishan scored his maiden Test fifty in just his second Test, coming against the West Indies in the Trinidad Test. India were looking to score quickly and set a formidable target for the West Indies, but with the fifth day completely washed out, the visitors could not get the desired result. Kishan certainly played his part in setting a target, scoring an unbeaten 34-ball 52 to put India in a commanding position.
England in the recent past have revolutionised the way Test cricket is played with their attacking strokeplay often scoring at a high run rate. India wicketkeeper Kishan believes that it works for them as they usually bat on surfaces which do not have spin and bounce, unlike in India where it comes into play. He further adds it is not necessary to play aggressively every match.
“It is not possible that you can play that fast everyday, it depends upon the situation also,” Kishan told the reporters after the second Test agianst West Indies at Port of Spain.
“England are batting quickly but you need to see what kind of pitches they are playing, mostly where we play it is not easy to bat because there is a turn and bounce.
“If the wicket is flat, where you can score quickly, and the need of the team is to get runs quickly, then I think you can take on that action. I don’t think it is necessary that we must play in an aggressive manner in every match, but whenever there will be a need of playing attacking cricket, we have got enough firepower in our ranks. I don’t think you can always play attacking shots in Test cricket."
Speaking of his knock, Kishan said he was sent at No. 4, ahead of Virat Kohli, who scored a century in the first innings, to take on the left-arm spinner and score quick runs as India pushed for a declaration.
“I think as a youngster, who was playing only his second Test, I wanted to cash in all those opportunities. In the second innings when I was sent to bat up the order my plan was to take on left-arm spinner. I batted with positive intent. We didn’t want to bat for long because we already had a good lead,” Kishan, who scored four fours and a couple of sixes during his stay at the crease, said.
Speaking of the help he has received from Rishabh Pant, Kishan said, “As I have said earlier, he knows me since our U-19 days. We know each other’s game. We keep on talking to each other about the batting and we never hesitated to share our opinions."
“Rishabh has done exceptionally well in the Test match. We bat down the order and while batting in that position it is important to play according to the situation. If you have lost four quick wickets, and you need a partnership, you can’t go for an all-out attack. Where you need to set a target, then that aggressive approach is also on. But overall, you will have to bat according to the situation in Test cricket.”
The 25-year-old from Jharkhand has also credited skipper Rohit Sharma for giving him the freedom to go out there and express himself without any pressure.
“Rohit Sharma is a very experienced captain. He tries to keep everyone in that comfort zone. When I was going to bat, he just told me ‘You play your own game, play according to your plan and don’t listen to anyone else.’ It is a massive thing to a youngster that a captain is backing you and it motivates you to do well,” he said.
For Kishan, who had to wait for some time to have a crack at Test cricket, it is all about taking it one game at a time. “I think every individual is different. For some, it might be frustrating but some take it as a challenge. Maybe I was not doing well and that’s why I wasn’t getting that chance," Kishan said.
“I take one match at a time. It is a five-day game, it challenges you mentally and physically. Instead of thinking too much ahead, I look at the match I am playing. How can I help my captain, while keeping or batting.”
India have very little turnaround time going into the One-Day International (ODI) series. The series gets underway on Thursday (July 27) at the Kensington Oval, Barbados. Kishan will hope to fight off competition from Sanju Samson and remain the first-choice 'keeper in the ODI series as well.
