Ishan Kishan blazed away to a record-breaking double-century against Bangladesh last December. It was the fastest ODI double-century in history with the wicketkeeper-batter youngest ever in an elite list to do so.
It was the third and final ODI of the series and one would have expected Ishan to be given a long run in the format. But he was dropped the next time India played an ODI.
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In fact, he failed to make the cut in the playing XI for the three-match series against Sri Lanka even after India had bagged the series by winning the first two games.
The 24-year-old must’ve been feeling what else he has to do to merit a regular spot but considering the wealth of talent India have at their disposal, his inclusion would’ve resulted in someone more accomplished being benched.
For the 3rd ODI in which Ishan scored the double-century while opening the innings, India were without their captain Rohit Sharma (thumb injury) and KL Rahul (rested). Both returned for the Sri Lanka series and Shubman Gill partnered Rohit at the top.
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Few former cricketers criticised India’s decision to bench Ishan with suggestions that Rahul, who has been struggling with consistency, should make the way.
With Rohit a certainty and Gill being impressive as well, where does Ishan fit in the eleven? Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has a solution.
“It’s going to be still tricky. One guy is going to be really upset. I have got an idea to sort this mess out. Have Shubman Gill bat at No. 3, he seems like he can handle that position, and then Virat Kohli sacrifices his No. 3 for a No. 4,” Manjrekar said in Star Sports.
Manjrekar recalled how Kohli has dropped down before to accommodate Ambati Rayudu. “He (Kohli) has done that before to Ambati Rayudu once, many years back against Sri Lanka. So that could be a way to sort it out. Ishan Kishan after his double hundred, left and right-handed combination at the top is not such a bad idea,” he said.
Ishan, Manjrekar says, will give the innings an impetus at the top and it will ultimately help the likes of Gill and Kohli.
“You have got to make use of Ishan Kishan’s current form and the kind of explosion that he provides. Always helpful for guys like Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli coming in next if you got somebody coming in and getting 50 off 30 balls,” he said.
“Then down the order, how you get the middle order right – I don’t know. Suryakumar Yadav is back in the 50-overs fold. He is in the Test squad as well, so that is brilliant. Shreyas Iyer has to play before Suryakumar Yadav, that’s going to be tricky,” he added.
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