An innings of great power and responsibility

Being an opener in India is probably not the toughest job but add in the burden of expectations, it becomes the toughest job out there. Ishan Kishan not only soaked the pressure of the tough job but came out with intent unparalleled in recent times. 

The 23-year-old isn’t perfect, his technique isn’t flawless but he has the unique ability that Indian cricket has been sought for the longest time. He is explosive and doesn’t put a price on his wicket, a trait very rarely found in Indian cricket, barring the likes of Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant. 

And when he walked out to bat in Lucknow on Thursday, there was obvious pressure on him. Across the three games against West Indies, he was there but his presence was largely unfelt. He was hit the ball hard but finding the gaps hardly.

That is exactly where Rahul Dravid’s words as coach came to rescue. 

“Ishan has been picked on his potential, his performance. Yes, you cannot specify these many games. Sometimes it’s combination, sometimes it’s injuries,” Dravid said after India’s whitewash over West Indies. 

What was more impactful was the management’s view-point of the format, “We are asking them to play high-risk cricket. We’re asking them to play shots all the time.” 

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On Thursday, Kishan did that, he played high-risk cricket and played shots all the time. In short, he did what exactly the management wanted, gave India exactly what they needed: a good platform. His strike-rate at the start of the innings (first ten balls) was 150, which only gradually kept on increasing as the innings progressed.

Once he crashed Chamika Karunaratne through the covers, there was a silent sigh of relief and a signal of a long night for the visitors. And when the two boundaries followed, a carnage was on the cards. But in between his boundaries, plenty of them, there was a clear approach of timing the ball and not just swinging. 

“I know Ishan for a long time now. I know the mindset he has. I know the ability he has as well. It was just about getting the kind of game that he had today. It was so pleasing to watch from the other end. The way he constructed the innings was so good, that is usually his problem,” Indian skipper Rohit emphasized on Kishan’s innings construction.

His game against spin might still be raw, as witnessed time and again, including today against Sri Lanka. Kishan might have scored 26 runs off 20 balls but only had a control percentage of 65, including two missed opportunities. 

That and his initial struggle against the swinging ball might be exposed from time to time but his approach remains unparalleled in Indian cricket. He played 19 dots but compensated that with a boundary every 4.3 deliveries. 

It isn’t wrong to say Kishan was in top control over this innings here against Sri Lanka, showing India what they miss at the top of the order. When bowled short, the southpaw reacted in stunning fashion, scoring at 225 strike-rate and when in the slot, he struck at 167.

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In India’s elimination from the T20 World Cup in 2021, it was their display with the bat in the powerplay that ended up costing them. Against New Zealand and Pakistan, the Men in Blue scored 35/2 and 36/3 respectively, an approach that ultimately ended up in their elimination. 

But as witnessed against New Zealand first in 2021 and West Indies later in 2022, India under Rohit Sharma had changed their approach in the powerplay: it was all about aggression. Back in November, against the Kiwis, the Men in Blue scored 69, 45 and 56 in the powerplay, only losing one wicket across the three innings. 

In the Windies whitewash, India’s scores in the powerplay were 43, 49 and 58. Once again, in the T20I opener against Sri Lanka, the two Indian openers – Rohit and Kishan – yet again scored 58, out of which 39 runs were scored by the southpaw. It signaled a new change in India’s T20I plans, an aggression that was cold earlier. 

“I got to learn a lot from the West Indies series. My intent wasn't good enough, I wasn't positive enough. I was just trying to keep it simple here - watch the ball and play my shots,” the 23-year-old reflected on his match-winning innings. 

For India to work towards the trophy Down Under, solving the powerplay issues with the bat was one big issue and now Kishan has shown them the way forward. Alongside that, it also puts forward an important question - how can the management find a way to slot the southpaw in the setup? Or should they even do it in the first place? 

While it won’t make the left-hander any favourite to be in the playing XI, it puts India’s T20I thinking in the right place, showing them the right path forward. But one thing remained constant throughout this game, great power and great responsibility. Maybe you could just say, 'with great power and responsibility comes Ishan Kishan'.