With the 2024 T20 World Cup looming large, the question of who will be India’s wicketkeeper-batsman remains unanswered. With KL Rahul currently out of the T20I scheme and Rishabh Pant’s availability uncertain, the spotlight falls on Ishan Kishan and Jitesh Sharma.
However, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Jitesh Sharma has a significant advantage in the race for the coveted spot. Pathan pointed towards the “traffic jam” at the top of the Indian batting order, Kishan’s preferred position, stating that finding space for him would be difficult.
“I will play Jitesh hands down,” Irfan Pathan declared on Star Sports. “I have maintained from earlier that if you have to play Ishan, whether it is ODIs or T20Is, you have to play him at the top, and there is a traffic jam at the top.”
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Pathan further expressed his doubts regarding Kishan’s ability to adapt to the middle order, suggesting that he thrives when facing the new ball. He compared Jitesh Sharma to the explosive Suryakumar Yadav, highlighting his creative shot-making and ability to thrive in the middle overs.
“It’s very difficult for Ishan Kishan to make his place,” Irfan Pathan elaborated. “I don’t know at all what the team management thinks, but his ability that I have judged for many years, I feel he needs the hard new ball and then he plays spin well. When you bat in the middle order, you will get spin in front of you, and there you (Kishan) might have difficulties at times.”
Jitesh Sharma impressed many with his fearless hitting in the recent T20I series against Australia and his impressive performances in the IPL for the Punjab Kings. His impressive strike rate and ability to handle both pace and spin were praised by Pathan.
“His growth in T20 cricket in the last one to one-and-a-half years has been fantastic,” Irfan Pathan asserted. “He has been doing the finisher’s role extremely well for the Punjab Kings in the IPL and he recently played two very good innings (for India). His strike rate is always impressive and he plays both spin and fast bowling well.”
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While Kishan still has time to prove himself, Pathan’s analysis adds an interesting dimension to the selection debate. With his explosive batting and ability to adapt to various situations, Jitesh Sharma seems to be the frontrunner for the coveted wicketkeeper-batsman spot in India’s T20 World Cup plans.
