Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has strongly backed wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan to cement his place in India’s squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup, declaring him a “complete player” who is now almost impossible to leave out.
Great support from Gavaskar Kishan played a stormy innings of 125 runs in just 79 balls.-His second ODI century, which came almost four years after his famous first double century. The left-handed batsman’s explosive return to form has caught the attention of the selectors, earning him a place in the upcoming ODI squad for the Afghanistan series ahead of high-profile contemporaries Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant.
Speaking after Kishan’s masterclass, Gavaskar suggested that the 27-year-old has already done enough to book his ticket for the next World Cup cycle.
Gavaskar commented, “I think he has already got his visa.” “To keep Ishan Kishan out of the team, someone else will have to really play beyond his potential. He has a huge contribution in the T20 format and is batting very well.”
Kishan’s blistering 125 off 79 balls against Afghanistan in Lucknow – where he took the pace from 50 to 100 in just 19 balls – caps off a sensational form across all formats in 2026. Has been in great form since the T20 World Cup earlier this yearWhere he conceded 317 runs and became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a half-century in the history of the tournament.
technological development
Gavaskar highlighted the remarkable development in Kishan’s technical game over the last 18 months, noting that the technical flaws that once troubled the batsman have been completely ironed out.
“Look at that shot that Graham (Swann) was talking about, the lofted extra-cover drive. He has very good defense too. Anything short, he is quick to get on the backfoot and pull it for a six,” Gavaskar said.
“He’s just a complete player now, and he’s become a complete player in the last year and a half. Earlier, you thought maybe he was a bit weak around the off stump. He didn’t have that high extra cover drive. Now that’s what he’s got, and it’s very difficult to keep him quiet.”
best team man
Kishan’s adaptability has also caught the attention of former England spinner Graeme Swann, who praised the batsman’s selfless approach and tactical maturity during his fluid partnership with Shubman Gill. Kishan, who knocked on the doors of selectors in the domestic circuit to make his way into the T20 World Cup setup last year, is currently serving as India’s primary back-up opener and wicketkeeper.
“He is the quintessential team man. You ask him to bat at No. 3, he will give you valuable innings as he did in the first game. Today he is batting at No. 4 and he was aggressive,” Swann said. “As long as he has the India shirt on, he doesn’t care what number he bats at, and that’s good.”
Swann said that Kishan’s ability to understand the pace of the game was important in facing difficult playing conditions:
“When he came on, his first half-century, even though it was not slow by any means, was about doing what the team needed. Shubman Gill was batting incredibly at the other end, so he more or less took a back seat. Then Shubman realized that Ishan Kishan had got his foot down and was scoring runs almost at will, so he just took the single. It was a perfect partnership in the heat because neither of them were exhausting themselves. Shubman was just going for singles, looking for some boundaries, taking another single and Ishan was playing some incredible shots.”
Reiterating Gavaskar’s technical praise, Swann emphasized how challenging Kishan has become for modern bowling attacks.
“He was very good on the leg side and was excellent at bowling at any short. But the highlight for me was those shots over extra cover. When he gives himself a bit of a chance and goes to extra cover, it is a nightmare as a bowler because you don’t want someone who is strong on both sides of the ground. The fact that such a small boy can hit big sixes over extra cover is fantastic.”
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