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Dinesh Karthik believes that getting some runs under the belt was crucial for Team India opener Ishan Kishan after he was dismissed for a golden duck in the opening match of the 2023 World Cup against Australia.
Kishan bounced back by performing decently against Afghanistan, scoring 47 runs off as many balls at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday.
Karthik feels that the knock would be a confidence booster for the wicketkeeper-batter. Speaking to Cricbuzz, Karthik explained (16:39):
"Ishan Kishan started tentatively. But when he got going, he played a few lovely shots. He will give the confidence that he looks in good rhythm, which is very, very important. They are going to play Pakistan in a couple of days. In case Shubman Gill is not fit, which is most likely the case, Ishan Kishan will again be opening."
"So, this game time will give him the confidence to go out there and play freely. When you take time in these kind of games, it is okay. But when you play against Pakistan, you want to start with the right intent, and these kind of games help you do that," he added.
India will take on Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday. While Shubman Gill has reached Ahmedabad, it remains to be seen if he will be available for selection. The youngster was ruled out of the Men in Blue's first two fixtures due to dengue.
"They will be under more pressure than the rest of the batting lineup" - Dinesh Karthik on Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer
During the same discussion, Dinesh Karthik pointed out that Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer will be under a lot of pressure, considering that their places in the team are on the line.
Once Shubman Gill is fit, one of Iyer or Kishan would have to sit out. Speaking about the situation, Karthik added (16:25):
"Both Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer are at a very interesting point right now in this World Cup. Both of their places are not cemented. So they will be under more pressure than the rest of the batting lineup."
Notably, Shreyas Iyer bagged a duck against Australia and received a lot of flak for his shot selection. The right-handed batter came up with an improved performance against Afghanistan, remaining unbeaten on 25.
