Asia Cup 2023: Ahead of the world-record 200 – Ishan Kishan’s childhood coach picks 82 vs Pakistan as one of his best knocks

Ishan Kishan’s childhood coach Uttam Mazumdar has picked his ward’s knock of 82 runs against Pakistan as one of the best of his career. Mazumdar has picked the knock against Pakistan ahead of Kishan’s 210-run innings against Bangladesh.

In fact, India was in a spot of bother at 66-4 when Ishan Kishan was joined by Hardik Pandya. Kishan played against Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz with aplomb and looked comfortable at the crease.

The left-hander completed his seventh ODI fifty and went on to score 82 off just 81 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes. The southpaw added a fine alliance of 138 runs off just 142 balls with Hardik Pandya before he was dismissed by Haris Rauf while trying to play a big shot.

India vs Pakistan is always a high-pressure game and Kishan was able to absorb the pressure in the middle to deliver the goods.

“This is Ishan’s one of the best innings,” Mazumdar told Sportskeeda in an exclusive chat. “It’ll go ahead of the world-record 200 because this was against Pakistan, one of the best pace attacks in the world… also the pressure situation and [the fact that] he hadn’t played at number five position.”

“He has always played as an opener but he got the chance and proved himself before the World Cup in such a crucial match against Pakistan… I am a little bit disappointed that he didn’t get his 100 but I am so optimistic by the maturity he showed,” he added.

Kishan played an instrumental role in helping India post a competitive score of 266 runs on the board but rain played killjoy in the end as no result was possible.

Mazumdar revealed that his message to Kishan was to show his character and temperament while playing for the national team.

“I told him, ‘Wherever you bat, you have to show your character and temperament should be there. If you are getting a chance for India, if you are opening or playing in the middle-order, you have to show character and make good runs.’ He proved himself,” Mazumdar said.

India will next face Nepal at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on Monday.