“Bat Kishan is using sounds different”: Shai Hope commends Ishan Kishan timing in Ranchi ODI vs South Africa

Shai Hope commends Ishan Kishan: The West Indian cricketer expressed approval of the Indian batter’s innings tonight.

It wouldn’t entirely be wrong to say that Ishan Kishan has played a career-saving innings in the second ODI between India and South Africa tonight.

Playing his first-ever match at his home ground in the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Kishan registered a career-best 93 (84) with the help of four fours and seven sixes to bail out his team after it had lost opening batter Shikhar Dhawan (13) and Shubman Gill (28) in the first powerplay.

Having initially started as a second-fiddle to vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, Kishan took centrestage after getting his eye in to result in playing multiple hard-hitting shots at a strike rate of 110.71.

Shai Hope commends Ishan Kishan timing in Ranchi ODI vs South Africa

Kishan’s third ODI half-century is his second in Asia, at No. 3, in 2022 and under Dhawan and first at home and against South Africa. An eye-catching knock has managed to catch the attention of West Indies wicket-keeper batter Shai Hope.

Expressing approval of Kishan’s innings on Sunday, Hope took to social media platform Twitter to commend the 24-year old player. Hope’s tweet came after Kishan attacked South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje hitting a four and two sixes in the 32nd over.

The first six, in particular, had it in it to be classified as the shot of the match. A rank short Nortje delivery was pulled by disdain for a 92-metre six over deep mid-wicket by Kishan.

Although he missed out on a maiden international century in front of his home crowd, a primary reason why Kishan needed such an innings under his belt was recent failures across formats. An underwhelming Indian Premier League 2022 was followed by Kishan scoring 330 runs in 12 white-ball innings at an average of 27.50 before this match.