Ishan Kishan recalled Virat Kohli’s words of encouragement as he faced off against Jofra Archer on his India debut.
Ishan Kishan’s international career got off to a rollicking start as he hit a half-century against England in his debut match for India. In the second T20 International (T20I) against England last year, India were set a target of 165 by the visitors, and Ishan Kishan opened with KL Rahul. It was a nervy start to the innings for Kishan as Rahul fell for a six-ball duck in the first over, and the young southpaw had to face Jofra Archer from the other end. But Virat Kohli, the captain of the team at the time, walked in and encouraged Kishan to try and clear the ropes.
“I opened with KL bhai when he got out Kohli bhai came. So when I was facing my first ball he was there. The first thing he said to me when Archer was bowling, ‘Look, there is no fielder there, hit him for a six.’ I said, ‘Umm, that’s Archer,'” Kishan recalled while speaking to presenter Gaurav Kapoor in an episode of Breakfast with Champions.
“But the way he said it, I felt he was right. I should smash Archer, I had entered that zone. And I got a boundary off the first ball. I was just happy about that — first international, first boundary, Archer,” Kishan said.
He didn’t hit a six, but found the boundary with a flick off his pads. He then continued in similar vein as he smashed five boundaries and four sixes in his knock of 56 off 32 deliveries.
Kohli himself finished unbeaten on 73 as India comfortably chased down the total to win the match.
Since his debut, he has played nine more T20Is and three ODIs for India.
His stock has been on the rise over the last few years, and in the IPL 2022 Mega Auction, Kishan was the most expensive player as Mumbai Indians purchased him back for Rs 15.25 crore.