Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra backed Mumbai Indians opener Ishan Kishan to play for Team India very soon after his match-winning knock against Delhi Capitals in Dubai on Saturday in the Indian Premier League 2020.
The talented Kishan smashed 72 runs off 47 balls in MI's successful run chase of 111 to consolidate their position at the top of the IPL 2020 standings.
Kishan's latest fifty was his 3rd of the season and 6th overall in the IPL. He has been in tremendous form this year, averaging over 49 with 395 runs from 11 matches and has been striking the ball at over 143.
Heaping praise on the pocket-size-dynamite, former MI skipper Harbhajan said it was only about time that represented Team India.
"Yeah super talented #IshanKisan @mipaltan he will surely play for India soon," Bhajji replied on Aakash Chopra's tweet who wrote: "About time to we start taking Ishan Kishan’s name when the talk is about India’s next wicket-keeper batsman. Kid’s got talent...and skills.Kishan blasted 3 sixes and 8 fours in his unbeaten knock as Mumbai Indians crushed Delhi Capitals by 9 wickets (with 34 balls remaining) to guaranteed a finish in the top 2.
“It was not as easy as it looked. The ball wasn't coming on so I had to keep rotating the strike and then take them apart later. It all depends on the practice sessions, and how you train I wanted to keep my shape and hit sixes,” Ishan Kishan, Man of the Match, said at the post-match presentation.
The 22-year-old also credited his strength, in hitting those big shots, to his mother who feeds him with amazing home-cooked food.
“My mom must get the credit for the food she gives me, that makes me so powerful, and sometimes even I'm surprised how my sixes carry such a long way. I enjoy batting everywhere, wherever the management wants me to bat. At this level you have to be able to adapt,” Kishan said.
The win helped Mumbai Indians become the first team to reach 18 points, they are also assured of a top 2 finish, which gives them two opportunities in the play-offs to reach the big final, scheduled for November 10.