Pakistan’s former skipper Salman Butt took a dig at the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma for his consistent failures in ICC knockouts.
Team India’s left-hand dynamic opener Ishan Kishan had a remarkable Test debut in the series against West Indies, where he showed promise as both a wicketkeeper and batter. He impressed with a half-century in his second match, which was a great start to his Test career. Kishan’s journey has been quite impressive, and he made headlines by achieving the fastest double century in ODI cricket in a match against Bangladesh in Chattogram, towards the end of 2022.
Despite his record-breaking performance, there was a surprise when he was left out of the team for the following ODI against Sri Lanka on January 10, 2023. Shubman Gill took his place for that match. However, in the recent ODI series against West Indies, Kishan had an opportunity to open the innings, and he made the most of it. His consistent performance earned him the Player of the Series title for scoring three half-centuries.
But Kishan’s spot in the team is once again in question as captain Rohit Sharma is set to return to the opening spot alongside Shubman Gill for the upcoming Asia Cup in 2023.
Former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt commented on how Kishan’s treatment by the Indian team management might impact his confidence. Being seen as a second option, regardless of his performance, could be discouraging for the young cricketer.
It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds for Ishan Kishan, but his talent and determination are undeniable, and many will be eager to see him shine in future opportunities.
“I absolutely agree (that India’s experiment with Ishan was confusing). One guy being dropped after scoring 200… what’s the point? Either they accept the fact that he is the second option, even if he scores 1000 runs in a single innings. That never gives you the feeling of being the best, and that never gives you the feeling that you will be rewarded for your performance. Currently, the feeling is no matter what you do, you will be the second option,” Butt said on his official YouTube channel.
Further speaking, Butt took an indirect dig at Rohit Sharma saying that some players have been around for a long time but fail under pressure.
“He is not a bench strength level anymore. He’s more than that. Secondly, I accept that Rohit is a big player, but some players are there who have been around for a long time but when the pressure gets to them, they can’t deliver. Especially at the knock-out stages, this is something that has to be worked on,” Butt further said.
