After playing three ODIs as a middle-order wicket-keeper batter, Ishan Kishan will return to the top of the order in the forthcoming three-match T20I series between India and New Zealand starting in Ranchi from tomorrow.
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Kishan, who has to either warm the bench or bat in the middle-order in the ODIs because of batter and good friend Shubman Gill’s mind-blowing run-spree as an opener, will return to opening the batting alongside him in the shortest format at his home ground on Friday.
However, before opening the batting for India, Kishan opened up on former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni terming him as his “idol” while growing up.
“Coming from same place [state], me also playing for Jharkhand. So, I really wanted to fill his shoes. Now that I’m here, I’ll make sure I make my team win so many other games,” Kishan said in a 108-second video posted by the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) on their Twitter handle.
Kishan, 24, also shared a memorable moment of meeting Dhoni for the first time as an 18-year old. A star-struck Kishan even managed to get an autograph from the legendary cricketer.
Ishan Kishan reveals reason behind wearing jersey number 32 for India
Kishan, who has represented India in 37 matches across both the white-ball formats, wears Jersey Number 32 in international cricket. Having said that, when it comes to playing for Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League, Kishan dons Jersey Number 23.
The left-handed batter unveiled how Jersey Number 23 was always his first preference but he couldn’t get his hands on the same in the Indian team because of spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
“I actually asked for Number 23 but Kuldeep Yadav already got that number. So, I was supposed to take any other number. I called my mom and she asked me to get 32. So, I didn’t ask any other question and went for it,” Kishan said with respect to his national jersey.
As far as Number 23 is concerned, legendary Australian cricketers Shane Warne and Michael Clarke also used to wear the same number during their playing days. Other than Yadav, another active cricketer who also wears Jersey Number 23 in international cricket is England’s Liam Livingstone.
