Suryakumar Yadav Confirms Ishan Kishan as T20 WC Opener, Rules Out Lower Order

The Sanju Samson-Ishan Kishan debate could finally be headed towards a solution. While Samson managed an awful 46 runs in five match series against New Zealand before the World Cup, Ishan outbatted him by a country mile in the series, scoring 215 runs in four innings at an average of 53.75 and a strike rate of almost 231 with a 42-ball century and a fifty. During the warm-up game against South Africa, he opened the innings, scoring a 20-ball 53 with two fours and seven sixes, indicating that the debate has seemingly finally shifted in Ishan's favour.

Speaking during the post-match presser, Suryakumar said on the possibility of Ishan opening, "Definitely (on if Ishan will open). The way he has played cricket in the last five T20s, it was an international game, so he show a lot. But if you look at the domestic cricket he was playing. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 (517 runs in 10 innings with two centuries and two fifties). He batted like this in that too. And he came here and carried the same thing."

"Even though he got an opportunity at number 3, he opened in the warm-up game yesterday. So I hope he keeps batting like this. Whatever position he plays. He won't play below 3, but whatever opportunity he gets, he will keep batting like this," he added.

Speaking on some former Indian cricketers like Saurabh Netrawalkar, Harmeet Singh, Milind Kumar and skipper Monank Patel now playing for the USA after spending formative years of their cricket in India, Surya admitted to have played a lot of cricket with some of USA's cricketers and said that it is great that they are finally getting an opportunity even if it is not their homeland.

"I have played a lot of cricket with them. But right now, we're having fun in our own cricket. The way we are playing cricket. At least I have played in Bombay, so I know how it works here. It will be fun. We will start the tournament tomorrow, and after that, we will catch up slowly," he added.

Surya said that he feels good as a captain and says the word captain "sounds overrated" and carries a sense of "complacency", preferring the word "leader".

"It is a good responsibility to lead such a good group on home soil. And starting the campaign from Wankhede. So I am very excited, and it is a good responsibility," he added.

On not getting to play much against teams like the USA, Namibia and the Netherlands, who are in their group, Surya said that the team does watch a lot of videos and does preparations. He also added that while not playing these non-Test playing nations is a disadvantage, there is "no excuse" at this level of cricket.

- ANI