T20WC: Kishan to be considered for opening slot

Back in form with two successive fifties in the Indian Premier League 2021 Phase 2 in the UAE, wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan said India captain Virat Kohli has told him that he would be seen as an opener in the T20 World Cup squad.

The 23-year-old Kishan scored 50 not out off 25 balls and 84 off 32 deliveries at the top of the order in his last two matches for Mumbai Indians, which eventually finished fifth on the table. Rohit Sharma has been a regular opener for India in all formats, with

KL Rahul and skipper Kohli playing alongside him in T20 Internationals.

Going by Kishan’s words, the southpaw could be seen opening alongside Rohit. “I would love to open and that is what Virat bhai said. But at the biggest level, you need to be prepared for everything,” said Kishan, who suffered a dip in form in the first part of the IPL 2021 second leg. “Return to form is a good thing for me as well as the India team. I am in good touch heading into the World Cup.”

MI needed to win its last round-robin match against Kolkata Knight Riders by a minimum of 170 runs to stay alive, but the equation was nearly impossible even though the fivetime champion scored 235 in the end. In the crucial fixture here on Friday, Kishan smashed 84 runs to give Mumbai a glimmer of hope.

“A good state of mind is very important. I knew that we were in a do-or-die situation. It was just about the intent and positive mindset. One has to be prepared for every circumstance. It is important to be in that mindset. I had a chat with Virat bhai, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard. They all were there for me,” said Kishan.