Former Indian player Wasim Jaffer felt Ishan Kishan’s selection over Shubman Gill in the second T20 International against New Zealand in Tauranga wasn’t at all surprising. However, India defeated New Zealand by 65 runs at the Bay Oval to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. New Zealand bowlers couldn’t stop Suryakumar Yadav as he scored another stunning century after being promoted to bat at No. 3. His 51-ball 111 not out, comprised of 11 boundaries and seven sixes, striking at 217.65, helped India put up 191/6 in 20 overs as well.

Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan, who scored 36 in 31 balls, was the second-best batter in the Indian batting line. He scored a 39-run stand with Suryakumar for the third wicket as well. Ishan opened the batting with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, which saw Shubman Gill out of the team.

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While justifying the selection of Ishan Kishan over Gill in India’s playing XI for the second T20I, Wasim Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo: “Well it’s touch and go. I mean it’s between Shubman and Ishan. Because Ishan played T20Is before and he did well, so it makes sense to give him a go. Nothing surprising there.”

Indian pace bowler Mohammed Siraj also played his seventh T20I game for India on Sunday. He registered the figures of 2/24 from four overs, including the key wicket of New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson.

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“Just because he (Harshal Patel) was in the World Cup squad. And before the World Cup, he was the man India wanted to bowl in the middle overs and suddenly (in) a few games he didn’t bowl well and gone out of the favour. And Siraj has done well before the World Cup. In fact, we all thought that he would probably replace Bumrah (in the T20 WC squad). But Shami did. We need somebody to bowl at a little bit of pace,” Wasim Jaffer concluded.