IND vs AUS, 1st T20: Ishan Kishan reveals strategy that helped India clinch series opener against Australia

Visakhapatnam: India wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan discussed his planned takedown of Australia spinner Tanveer Sangha in the first T20I against Australia here on Thursday.

India won the toss and invited Australia to bat first on a decent batting strip in the first T20I at Visakhapatnam. Powered by Josh Inglis’s 110 from 50 and Steve Smith’s 52 from 41, Australia set India a target of 209.

Despite a quick start from Yashasvi Jaiswal, India were soon in peril at 22/2 within the third over mark. It was then the experienced pair of Kishan and skipper Suryakumar Yadav brought India back into the game with an enterprising stand of 112 runs from 60 balls.

This set a strong platform for India in no time and meant that despite late stutters, Rinku Singh’s fireworks guided India to a two-wicket win, an ICC report said.

Speaking after the game, Kishan revealed that he had strategised the takedown of rookie spinner Tanveer Tanveer. The southpaw said that having kept on the wicket for 20 overs helped him understand the nature of the wicket.

“During the World Cup, when I wasn't playing I asked myself before every practice session, ‘What is important for me now? What could I do?’”, Kishan said. “I practised a lot in nets."

“I was constantly talking to the coaches about the game. How to take the game deep, and how to target certain bowlers. Being a lefty against a leg-spinner, I know how the wicket was as I had kept for 20 overs. When you are chasing 209, you need to target a bowler, who you can hit,” he said.

After a sedate start in the leg-spinner’s first over, during which India scored only six runs, Kishan hit 14 off the first three balls of his second over. He further hit a four and a six off Sangha, before being caught at deep extra cover for 58.

“The communication was very important in the middle. I had a chat with Surya bhai. 'I'm gonna take on this guy wherever he bowls’ because we needed to close the gap between runs and balls. You can't leave too many runs for the batters at the back. It won't be easy for them to play the big shots straight away. I had to take my chances and I believed in myself.”

Kishan believed his stand with Suryakumar brought India back into the game.

“A partnership was very important as we had lost two early wickets,” Kishan said. “I've played with Surya bhai. We are in the same IPL team so I know how he bats. We were constantly communicating about which bowler to target or how we are going to rotate the strike. The way we executed our plans in the middle, that was the time when I thought we are in the game.”

India lead the five-game T20I series 1-0. The next encounter between the two sides will take place in Thiruvananthapuram on November 26. (UNI)