"Not one ball was hitting the middle of the bat" - Aakash Chopra on the start of Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad's partnership in 1st Ind vs SA T20I

Aakash Chopra has pointed out that Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad were unable to find the middle of their bats in the initial stages of their innings in the first T20I between India and South Africa on Thursday, 9 June.

The two Indian openers added 57 runs in 6.2 overs but did not seem too comfortable in the middle. Team India went on to post a score of 211/4 in their allotted 20 overs, but their bowlers failed to defend the massive target they had set for the Proteas.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra had the following to say about the start of the Indian innings:

"We had seen mystery bowlers till now, spinners who bowl like that. But this Delhi pitch looks like a mystery pitch to me. If we see the first few overs, a lot of runs were getting scored but not one ball was hitting the middle of the bat."

The cricketer-turned-commentator highlighted that both Kishan and Gaikwad led charmed lives. Chopra explained:

"The ball turned yards in Keshav Maharaj's first over, it was swinging yards as well, left-right, everything was happening but still runs were being scored. No batter was getting out, the edges were going in the gap or for sixes, the catches were falling in the middle. It was just unbelievable."

Other than a Kagiso Rabada full toss that was crunched down the ground for a four by Kishan, the Indian openers failed to play any authoritative shots in the first five overs.

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"Ishan Kishan has run far ahead" - Aakash Chopra on the MI opener's race with Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ishan Kishan was aggressive throughout his innings [P/C: BCCI]

Chopra believes Kishan has left Gaikwad far behind in the race to be India's third opener in the shortest format of the game. He observed:

"Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad are not your first-choice openers. Rahul and Rohit are your first-choice openers, both of them will play once they are available. The race is to be the third opener. Ishan Kishan has run far ahead in that race at the moment."

The 44-year-old was particularly appreciative of Kishan for putting the team's interest ahead of his personal milestone. Chopra elaborated:

"The thing I liked about Ishan was that the intent was very good. He did have luck in his favor slightly but he continued to attack, the over in which he got out, he had already gathered 20 runs. When you have done that, you think let me score a century, but Ishan Kishan didn't do anything like that. He continued to just press the pedal."

Kishan smashed 76 runs off just 48 balls, a knock studded with 11 fours and three sixes. He perished while trying to hit Keshav Maharaj for a maximum when he had already smoked 20 runs off the left-arm spinner's over.

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