Asia Cup: KL Rahul joined the Indian team just before the Asia Cup Super 4 match. It is a piece of very good news for the Indian team that the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman, KL Rahul is now with the team and India has increased options. Team India has to play its first match in the Super 4 against Pakistan, but before that, a debate has erupted about whether KL Rahul or Ishan Kishan will be given a place in the playing eleven. Regarding this, Team India’s former opener batsman Gautam Gambhir asked which player should India give a chance to bat at number 5 in the Asia Cup.
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir wants the Indian team management to give a chance to Ishan Kishan before KL Rahul in the upcoming high-voltage Asia Cup Super 4 match. Let us tell you that Ishan Kishan has scored four consecutive half-centuries in the ODI format and is also in excellent form. Gambhir believes that he is the ideal batsman for the team at this time.
On the other hand, KL Rahul is back in the team after a long injury. He is currently the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman of Team India and dropping him from the team before the ODI World Cup 2023 may prove to be wrong. However, Gambhir is confident that Kishan is the right player for the team at the moment and if the think tank plans to drop him from the team, it would be a “huge blunder”.
It will be a big blunder if the team makes any change at number 5
Gautam Gambhir, while talking on Star Sports, fully supported Ishan Kishan and said that if Team India made any changes at number 5, it would be a big blunder. He clearly said that at present, Team India should play Ishan Kishan at this number, giving preference to KL Rahul. Gambhir said that Ishan Kishan has done everything the team needs at this number and he is front in line to play at this number.
Let us tell you that in the absence of KL Rahul against Pakistan, Ishan Kishan was given a chance at number one for India and he played an excellent inning of 82 runs. Ishan Kishan made his debut against Pakistan in the ODI format and after the failure of the first 4 batsmen, he played a crucial innings for India and proved his worth. Not only this, Ishan Kishan is in good form these days and he scored consecutive half-centuries in three ODIs against the West Indies, while he has been very effective behind the wicket as well.
Ishan Kishan should get a chance first – Gautam Gambhir
During a conversation with Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir said, “If India does not feed Ishan Kishan before KL Rahul, then India will make a big mistake. The thing is when you are preparing to win the World Cup, you don’t look at names, you judge by their form. You pick the player who can perform well and win you the World Cup. I think Ishan Kishan has done everything he needs to do to be number one in the team.”
The former cricketer also pointed out that think tanks should not choose players based on their reputation or experience. He believes that he should focus on form and Kishan is playing excellent cricket at the moment and has done well under pressure. He also reminded that the team management would not have dropped Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli for Rahul and the same should happen for a youngster like Kishan.
