India batter Ishan Kishan said that he cannot take his position as the opener for granted and has to be ready for every opportunity he gets. Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer hit fifties before a combined bowling performance helped India thrash Sri Lanka by 62 runs in the first T20I here at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Thursday.
While replying to ANI query during a virtual press conference, Ishan Kishan said, “When you come to a level like this, playing for the Indian team, you have to be ready for every opportunity you get because there are so many players performing well and you cannot ask for one position.”
“We have to be ready, prepare in the nets, watch our seniors who are doing well at that position, so that’s the way we learn. It’s not just that you go there and you get to open, you have to wait for your time but when you get it, you have to capitalise on it,” he added.
The batter also said that he needs to be in good space and remain neutral in each and every situation, in order to maintain his performance.
“After playing so much of cricket, we get used to this situation that tough times will come but it’s important to be neutral at that point of time. You don’t get very excited when you score too many runs and the same goes with when you don’t perform. So, you need to be in good space, talk to your seniors as they are much more experienced than we are,” said the batter.
After his splendid 56-ball 89 in the first T20I against Sri Lanka, @ishankishan51 spoke about his conversations with @ImRo45 and the inputs he has received from the #TeamIndia Captain. ???? ????#INDvSL | @Paytm pic.twitter.com/jkq0qOxcEP
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“It’s very helpful when I sit with Rohit Bhai when he comes to my room for conversation. So, I know that he believes in me and the coach believes in me and I just go there to perform,” he added.
Regarding the team’s good performance, Ishan Kishan said that they are focusing on going for the shots, rather than waiting for the right moment.
“I think a meeting was about this that we are being predictable in coming games and as we have played against big teams, we have been little predictable. Taking care of our wicket, thinking much about keeping wickets in hand, then slogging in the second half of the innings. But right now it is very simple, all of us are so talented that we have got the shots in our pocket and the captain and coach believe in us with what we have done in IPL, so we have just have to go there and play our game,” said Ishan Kishan.
“If the ball is there, we need to go for it, rather than just taking singles and waiting for the bowler to come. At this platform, it’s really important for you to move towards the ball, step out and keep the bowler thinking. So, that’s the thing we are currently focusing on,” he added.
With this 62-run win over Sri Lanka, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. Both teams will now lock horns in the second T20I on Saturday.
Chasing 200, Sri Lanka got off to the worst possible start as the side two wickets inside three overs. Bhuvneshwar removed both openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara as Sri Lanka struggled in the chase.
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Sri Lanka reach the 50-run mark in the tenth over but lost two more wickets. Charith Asalanka did hit a fifty for the visitors but the asking rate was too much to ask for as Sri Lanka lost momentum.
Sri Lanka needed 102 runs in the last four overs and the visitors were completely outplayed in the first T20I as they lost the match by a considerable margin.
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