Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes talented India player Ishan Kishan has made a massive difference for the Indian team in the middle order during the Asia Cup 2023. The youngster was asked to bat at No.5 against Pakistan in Pallekele as KL Rahul was yet to recover and he took to the challenge and scored a brilliant 82 as well, that too at a time when the team was struggling in the middle.

Speaking to India Today after the Asia Cup 2023 final, Sunil Gavaskar said about Ishan Kishan: “Definitely (sealed his spot in middle-order), also gives you a left-handed option in the middle. India don’t have a left-hander at the top 4 and then Hardik Pandya. Ishan Kishan at No. 5 makes a lot of sense. This is the beauty of being an opening batter. An opening bat can also slot himself down in the middle-order. Ishan Kishan has shown, particularly with the way he kept his composure, the way he handled against Pakistan and got those 80-odd runs shows that he is not somebody who likes to go out and play his shots but he is somebody who applies his mind, reads the situation and plays accordingly.”

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However, Team India were in deep trouble against Pakistan in Pallekele where Ishan’s 82 was even more special. Sunil Gavaskar applauded him for the way he built a partnership with Hardik Pandya and also the way he played with great temperament at a young age.

“He showed admirable patience against the Pakistanis at the start, he made sure the danger was seen away. He hung around with Hardik Pandya and then started to play his shots. That is really a very, very encouraging sign because for somebody as young as him, to show the temperament he showed in that particular game means that he has a bright future ahead of him,” Sunil Gavaskar concluded.