Irfan Pathan Defends Gautam Gambhir Over Ishan Kishan Batting Order
Synopsis
Irfan Pathan has defended head coach Gautam Gambhir, explaining that Ishan Kishan's change in batting order was due to a groin injury sustained during the first T20I, which subsequently ruled him out of the second match of the series.
Irfan Pathan Defends Gautam Gambhir
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan came out in support of head coach Gautam Gambhir after Ishan Kishan batted lower down the order in the first T20 match, revealing that the wicketkeeper-batter had a niggle and urging critics not to rush to judgment without knowing the full story. In a post on X, Pathan said Kishan's fitness issue was the reason behind the change in his batting position during the first T20I against New Zealand, while criticising the tendency to target Gambhir over decisions involving the team's batting order. "So, Ishan Kishan had a niggle during the first T20, which is why he batted lower down the order. But everyone was quick to go after @GautamGambhir for changing the batting order. Criticising him has become everyone’s favourite timepass these days. Please, please wait a bit before passing judgment. Don’t jump to conclusions without knowing the full story," Pathan wrote.
The former all-rounder also linked the issue to the tendency to draw conclusions on social media without knowing all the facts, warning that such reactions could hurt people. "And this applies to everything in life. In the rush to get “views” and “numbers” on social media, you might end up hurting someone without even knowing the full story. Think before you judge," he added.
Ishan Kishan Ruled Out of Second T20I
Kishan has been ruled out of the second T20I against New Zealand due to a low-grade right adductor strain, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Friday. The second T20I match will be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday. The BCCI shared an update on X, stating, "Ishan Kishan is ruled out of the second T20I against New Zealand due to a low-grade right adductor strain, which he sustained during the first T20I of the series. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress."
The 28-year-old Kishan sustained the injury during India's opening T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch on Thursday. The left-handed batter came in at No. 5 during India's chase of 226 but managed just one run before being dismissed by New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. Speaking to the media ahead of the second T20I, India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak had indicated that Kishan was unlikely to feature in the match due to a groin niggle. "Ishan has a slight groin niggle. I feel tomorrow's match is also unlikely [for him to feature]," Kotak said.
Performance and Series Update
Kishan has scored 1,955 runs in 67 T20Is at an average of 31.03 and a strike rate of 148.55. He is also part of India's squad for the five-match ODI series against New Zealand. India head into the second T20I with a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after securing a four-wicket victory in the opener. Sanju Samson laid the foundation for the chase with a fluent 67 off 33 balls, while Naman Dhir produced an explosive unbeaten 42 off 15 deliveries to guide India home with two balls to spare. Captain Shreyas Iyer also contributed 42 off 28 balls. Earlier, Glenn Phillips smashed an unbeaten 82 off 40 balls, while Finn Allen scored 45 off 24 deliveries as New Zealand posted 225/4, their highest total in home T20Is. India's tour of New Zealand features five T20Is, followed by five ODIs and two Test matches.