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Team India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan opened up about Virender Sehwag's influence on his swashbuckling style of play at the top of the order.
Much like the former explosive batter, Kishan scores runs at a brisk pace. The southpaw opened his international account with a maximum, something which Sehwag was renowned for.
They also share the record of scoring an ODI double-hundred.
Praising the manner with which Sehwag went about his approach, he told One Cricket:
"Maybe I bat like this because I watch a lot of highlights of Virender Sehwag. The way he smashes all of the bowlers, whoever it was, Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar, he just smacked every one of them around the ground. Maybe I got that instinct from watching him and I used to watch Adam Gilchrist as well."
Kishan's profile also has a lot of similarities with Adam Gilchrist, with both of them being destructive opening left-handed keeper-batters. While he has a long way to go before emulating the legendary Australian, he has made a strong case for himself with his recent exploits.
"MS Dhoni for sure" - Ishan Kishan on his favorite wicketkeeper-batter
Upon being asked about his favorite wicketkeeper-batter over the course of the interaction, the 24-year-old had no hesitation in naming MS Dhoni. Much like the legendary Indian captain, he hails from Jharkhand.
Speaking about what sets Dhoni apart from Gilchrist, he said:
"MS Dhoni for sure. I loved Adam Gilchrist's batting and wicket-keeping, but I have seen MS all around, what he does on and off the field, the calmness, the way he meets everyone. These things also matter in life, how you function, he has helped me a lot also."
Kishan and Dhoni have shared the stage on several occasions in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The pair will come up against each other once again in the upcoming season of the T20 competition in April-June 2023.
Will the youngster be a regular feature in the Indian team setup moving forward? Let us know what you think.
Also Read: "Sometimes I still pinch myself after what has happened" - Ishan Kishan on his ODI double hundred
