Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra showered praise on Ishan Kishan for his explosive knock in the warm-up match against South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai on Wednesday. Kishan opened with Abhishek Sharma in the warm-up match and retired out after scoring 53 runs off just 20 balls. The left-hander smashed two fours and seven sixes in his blistering innings as he scored his runs at a strike rate of 265.
Meanwhile, Kishan scored 215 runs in four matches against New Zealand recently. The southpaw scored his runs at an average of 53.75 and a blistering strike rate of 231.18.
“Whoever was coming was hitting. We thought Abhishek Sharma would do this job, but Ishan Kishan said, ‘Wait, I am there.’ The sixes he is hitting, the pick-up shots he played, two fielders were standing in the deep, but he was hitting it into the stands,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“Incredible Kishan, impressive Kishan. The guy is on a mission. It’s almost been confirmed in which direction India would go. So Ishan Kishan was absolutely stellar. He made Abhishek Sharma look pale,” he added.
On the other hand, Tilak Varma made an impressive comeback, scoring 45 runs off just 19 balls with the help of three fours and as many sixes.
“Tilak Varma – it doesn’t seem like the guy had gone somewhere. He is talented Varma, terrific Varma. Of course, he had played a game against the USA at this ground only and a little form was seen, but the way he hit Anrich Nortje, he was hitting straight sixes after jumping down the pitch, what has happened?” he said.
Furthermore, Axar Patel scored 35 runs off 23 balls and Chopra said the left-hander made the most of his batting promotion as he batted at five.
“Axar was sent early. Axar is our adaptable Patel. Wherever you send him or whatever task you ask him to do, he does that. He was sent up the order because he hadn’t gotten many opportunities to bat due to injury. He did an incredible job. It seemed like everyone was opening their accounts with a six,” Chopra observed.
India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the USA on February 7.
