Ind vs WI: Ex-South African cricketer Shaun Pollock has compared India’s two sensational young wicket-keepers after India’s comprehensive 6 wicket win over West Indies in 1st ODI at Ahmedabad.

Rishabh Pant batted at No.4 and scored 11 (9) before running himself out. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan opened the innings with a solid 36-ball 28 before mistiming a sweep to the backward square leg.

Pollock was impressed with how Kishan applied and adapted himself at the crease. The Bihar-born cricketer is naturally aggressive but he managed to “reign himself back”. Pant, on the other hand, has shown a tendency to not adapt himself to situations and seems to be one-dimensional, said Pollock. Read our free cricket betting tips and get the latest news here.

“I think sometimes we might be a little critical of Rishabh Pant who tends to be a little one-dimensional when it comes to the way he plays. He likes to be very aggressive and even if the situation doesn’t dictate that he has to do that, he goes about it the same way…I think I was quite impressed that he managed to reign himself back.”

Shaun Pollock during a discussion on Cricbuzz Chatter

“The situation didn’t require him [to go after the bowlers]. We know he can do that role, we’ve seen that in the IPL, in the T20s. But it’s good to see a guy of that age being able to adjust to what’s required of him in the match and being able to say, ‘Okay, well my partner is going at 100 miles an hour, no real need for me to take risks; I’ll wait for the bad ball and do my job from there'”

Shaun Pollock

IND vs WI: Dinesh Karthik also impressed by Ishan Kishan’s approach

Ind vs WI: “Pant Is One-Dimensional While Kishan Can Adapt to Situations” Pollock
Ind vs WI: “Pant Is One-Dimensional While Kishan Can Adapt to Situations” Pollock

During the same conversation, wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik expressed his thoughts on Ishan Kishan’s approach. He was impressed by the youngster’s defensive game and the way he “ticked a box” by limiting his game based on the situation.

“With Ishan Kishan what was good to see was [him] bringing his defensive technique to the fore, not taking too many risks and just playing to the situation and playing a beautiful second fiddle role to Rohit which obviously was the need of the hour… He’s just ticked a box in a sense that he made sure there was a partnership that was required and he’s put his hand up and did what was required for Team India.”

Dinesh Karthik

Ind vs WI: Rishabh Pant has often been srutinised for his negligence

Ind vs WI: “Pant Is One-Dimensional While Kishan Can Adapt to Situations” Pollock

Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan have similar styles but the former has been subjected to more scrutiny due to his Test career. His career has frequently swung between audacity and negligence.

The recent Test tour of South Africa was a prime example of this. In the second Test, the youngster threw away his wicket for a three-ball duck at a critical juncture, contributing to India’s defeat. But, in the third Test, under even more difficult conditions, he scored a stunning century. Seeking best betting apps? Then check all the app here.

Indian spinners spun their web at Ahmedabad

Talking about the game, India won the toss and elected to field in its 1000th ODI. Mohammed Siraj justified his selection by removing the ever-reliant Shai Hope in the 3rd over. He along with Prasidh Krishna kept things tight in the powerplay. West Indies were 39/1 at the conclusion of 1st powerplay.

After such a start, spinners really needed to step up and buoy! they did. Washington Sundar came in as the first change spinner and made an immediate impact. He removed Brandon King and Darren Bravo in quick succession. Then, Yuzvendra Chahal spun his web in the middle overs and left West Indies reeling at 71/5. Before, Jason Holder and Fabian Allen added 93 for the 8th wicket to help West Indies reach 176. Get our free cricket prediction here in our site.

In reply, Rohit Sharma got the team off to a flying start. The skipper was going bonkers while Kishan played the second fiddle role. Rohit perished after making a fine half-century. Virat Kohli too was out cheaply but Surya Kumar Yadav and debutant Deepak Hooda ensured India had no more hiccups. They won the match by six wickets with 22 overs to spare. The second ODI between India and the West Indies will be played at the same venue on Wednesday, February 9.

Share this post!