Indian cricket stars Ishan Kishan and rising talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi captivated onlookers with their dynamic batting during an intense practice session in Ranchi, as India prepare to face West Indies in the second T20I.
IMAGE: India’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi bats in the nets on the eve of the second T20 International against the West Indies at the JSCA Stadium, Ranchi, on Thursday. Photograph: ANI Photo
Key Points
- Ishan Kishan, playing at his home ground in Ranchi, displayed aggressive batting during India’s practice session for the second T20I against West Indies on Friday.
- Kishan’s return to the national team follows a period away due to disciplinary issues, with assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak praising his increased maturity since his comeback.
- Fifteen-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also garnered significant attention in the nets, impressing with his boundary-hitting prowess.
- India, having won the opening T20I, plans to continue its fearless approach in the five-match series, aiming for a 2-0 lead.
Local ‘boy’ Ishan Kishan and 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi lit up the nets with their trademark attacking strokes as India went through an intense practice session ahead of the second T20I against West Indies in Ranchi on Friday.
Nestled in the Chota Nagpur plateau and dotted with lush green hills, Ranchi offered a refreshing backdrop, with a gentle winter chill beginning to settle in the air as the duo went about their rigours batting at adjacent nets.
┬а
Ishan Kishan Shines at Home Ground
IMAGE: Ishan Kishan bats during India’s nets session in Ranchi on Thursday. Photograph: BCCI/X
Kishan, the Jharkhand skipper who knows the JSCA Stadium like the back of his palms, spent considerable time in the nets, taking on the spinners and sending several deliveries soaring into the stands in his typically aggressive style.
Ravi Bishnoi, Naman Dhir, and Abhishek Sharma were among those bowling to him.
Kishan was batting alongside India T20 World Cup-winning star Sanju Samson as the veteran opener took his time and batted with patience before playing some elegant shots.
Kishan has plenty of reasons to feel confident at his home ground. He led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title last year, smashing 101 off 49 balls in the final against Haryana as his side won by 69 runs.
His return to the national setup has also been one of the notable comeback stories in Indian cricket.
Kishan’s Comeback and Coach’s Confidence
IMAGE: India opener Sanju Samson. Photograph: BCCI/X
After losing his BCCI central contract and spending a prolonged period away from the team following the late-2023 disciplinary and domestic-cricket controversy, Kishan used the domestic season to rebuild his career before returning to India’s T20 setup and contributing to the World Cup campaign.
India assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak has been impressed by the maturity Kishan has shown since his return and backed him to make the most of playing in his home city.
“As a batting coach, I see him playing on the ground as if it is his home ground. Since he came back from the World Cup, he has been doing really well for the Indian team.
“When he was young, I saw him play. Even when I worked in the IPL, he was with Gujarat Lions (2017). Even then, he used to play aggressively.
“If anything, I would say that he is much more mature now. He plays according to the need of the team and the situation of the game, and he has been doing really well.
“So we just hope that he does even better on his home ground.”
Why Jaiswal is suddenly taking up wicketkeeping for Mumbai
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Steals the Limelight
IMAGE: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Arshdeep Singh, and Prince Yadav during a practice session. Photograph: ANI Photo
But it was Sooryavanshi who drew the biggest attention, with policemen, spectators and media personnel gathered around the nets closely following every shot from the 15-year-old who is still waiting in the wings with the experienced Samson occupying the opening spot.
The Bihar youngster did not disappoint, repeatedly clearing the boundary and sending balls towards the stands and the sight-screen beside the press conference hall.
For a teenager who has increasingly become part of the conversation around India’s top-order combination, it was another reminder of the talent that has created so much excitement around him.
Team Strategy and Bowling Concerns
IMAGE: Abhishek Sharma prepares to bat in the nets. Photograph: BCCI/X
The India regulars, including skipper Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, were absent from the optional practice session, while the rest of the group went through a session lasting around two hours.
Fast bowler Mayank Yadav, who struggled in the opening game in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, was also rested from the optional practice.
Kotak said the bowling staff would continue to assess the youngster’s performance and work on possible adjustments.
“Any bowler will have certain matches where things don’t go their way. Obviously, any bowler, bowling coach or member of the team management will look at where he has conceded the runs — in which overs and on which deliveries — and how those runs can be cut down, whether through length, pace or change of pace,” he said.
“So that is non-stop work which is going on. The team has not been decided yet, so I don’t know what the chances are. Everyone in the 15 has a chance,” Kotak said about a change in bowling combination.
Going by their session however, India, who won the opening T20I in Lucknow by eight wickets, seem to retain XI and stick to their fearless approach as they look to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
“The way we are approaching the game — with a fearless approach and a team-first mindset — will remain the same. It might be a different wicket, but generally in T20 cricket we get good wickets. So the way we want to approach T20 cricket will continue,” Kotak said at the pre-match media interaction.
