Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra is unsure whether Ishan Kishan’s consistent performances in the recently concluded ODI series against the West Indies will help him to earn a place at the top of the order for India in the 2023 World Cup. However, Kishan smashed a 64-ball 77 in the final ODI as India thrashed the Windies by 200 runs in Trinidad on Tuesday (August 1) to win the three-match series 2-1. He scored 184 runs in the series, with half-centuries in all three games, and also won the Player of the Series award.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “The Player of the Series in my opinion is Ishan Kishan. It could have been shared between Ishan Kishan and Shardul Thakur but I have kept Ishan Kishan because the pitches in the first two matches were tough. If you see it from the World Cup perspective, your third opener and second wicketkeeper is ready.”

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The former Indian opener added: “The good thing is that he has scored runs. These runs are extremely important because these are international runs, but if we see from the World Cup perspective, can these runs help him bat at the same position? That’s the big question the team has to answer.”

He also added that Ishan Kishan brought his aggressive approach in the final ODI. While admitting that he was slightly lucky, he also added that fortune favours the brave. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are likely to be India’s preferred opening pair for the World Cup 2023 as well. Aakash Chopra also said that Ishan Kishan might not get to bat at the top of the order in the World Cup as well.

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“He (Kishan) might not open when he plays in the World Cup, that’s what I feel. I feel Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma will only open. Virat Kohli is going to come at No. 3. So you will not have a single left-hander in the top three. All three are going to be right-handers,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “He might have to play in the middle order for India but what do we know – Rohit might bat down the order. It’s not going to happen and it shouldn’t happen as well because Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli should be one, two and three.”