"He would be the player to watch out for me" - Parthiv Patel expects Ishan Kishan to perform in IND vs SA 2022 series

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel feels Ishan Kishan has a huge opportunity under his sleeve to make a mark.

The 23-year-old was selected for the home series against South Africa despite a lukewarm campaign for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

With skipper KL Rahul a certain candidate at the top of the order, the choice for the second slot comes down to either Ishan Kishan or Ruturaj Gaikwad.

The southpaw had to grind through a poor patch midway through the tournament to end with 418 runs at an average of 32.15.

Naming Ishan Kishan as the player to watch out for in the upcoming T20I series against the Proteas, Patel said on Cricbuzz:

"Ishan Kishan would be the player to watch out for me. He started well for MI this season, but he did not score enough runs. If he performs well for the Indian team at the top of the order, he brings a whole new dimension, he is also a left-handed option. I wish that he plays freely."

Kishan recorded his highest T20I score in the last series he played for India. The former U-19 World Cup captain smashed 89 off 56 deliveries during the Men In Blue's win over Sri Lanka at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow earlier this year.

"If South Africa want to win this series, they need Quinton de Kock to perform" - Parthiv Patel

The Proteas have named a strong contingent for the five-match T20I series, embedded with performers who excelled in the IPL.

One such name is Quinton de Kock, who registered 508 runs for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) this season.

Claiming that the opening wicketkeeper-batter will have to be at his best for a South Africa series win, Patel said:

"If South Africa want to win this series, they need Quinton de Kock to perform. He performed really well in the IPL and even improved his strike rate. He also converted his starts into big scores in the IPL. "

Led by Temba Bavuma, the visitors will take on India in the first T20I tomorrow (June 9), at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.