India keeper-batsman Ishan Kishan favours playing Test cricket according to the match situation, adding that “Bazball” should not become the template for playing every single five-day game.
Kishan, who made his Test debut on the West Indies tour, scored a T20-style half-century in the second innings of the drawn second and final Test here as the need of the hour was to score quickly and set an imposing target for the home team.
India, scoring at 7.54 runs per over on Day IV at the Queen’s Park Oval, declared at 181/2 after 24 overs of their second innings. Kishan remained unbeaten on 52 off just 34 balls.
“It’s not necessary that everyday you come in and start playing fast cricket. That should depend on the situation. The condition of the pitches also plays a role in how quickly one can score runs,” Kishan, who was promoted to No.4 in the batting order last Sunday to score quick runs, said.
“Mostly, where we play, wickets are not that easy. There’s turn and bounce. So, there’s no point in playing fast on those surfaces because you need to read the wicket well.
“If you get a wicket where you can score quick runs and the need of the hour is to do so, then every player in our team has the capability to perform that role. The kind of players we have and the number of formats and matches that we play, everyone knows his role — which match one has to play and in what manner.
“So, personally, I feel we don’t need to play like that (score quickly) in every game. It should be situation-based. If four wickets fall quickly and a partnership is required, then we cannot play that fast-scoring game.”
Kishan added that Rishabh Pant, the man he replaced in the India Test side for the Windies tour, gave him tips during his stay at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore. Pant is currently rehabilitating at the NCA after suffering a horrific car accident last December .
“He knows me from our U-19 days... How I play, how I think, so we keep interacting. I tell him where he can improve and he also does the same. He tries to help me and ensure I give it my best shot on a tour. And I’m very thankful that he gave me some good points at the NCA,” Kishan stated.
Written with PTI inputs
