Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif believes head coach Gautam Gambhir has a liking for Ishan Kishan and he would back the wicket-keeper in the 50-over version. Kishan has been in a dream run of form, and returned with impressive scores of 34 and 125 in the first two ODIs against Afghanistan.
The left-hander scored a fine knock of 125 runs off just 79 balls, which is his second ODI hundred in the second game against the visitors.
Kishan recently scored 602 runs in 15 matches of IPL 2026 at an average of 40.13 and a strike rate of 182.42 and played a key role in taking SRH to the playoffs.
“If Gambhir likes someone, Gambhir will be adamant about it then. He likes Ishan Kishan. Whenever he plays, he will get a long backing. Look at how much he has backed Sundar. Sundar even played a Test match ahead of Ashwin. He has backed Harshit as well. People can tell whatever they want. But he has this quality. If he recognises a player, he will stand for them. Whether the decision goes right or wrong is a different debate. But he has a strong opinion and will convince the captain to have those players,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif recalled how Gambhir backed Harshit Rana in the ODI team and now the Delhi cricketer has scored some crucial cameos while batting down the order.
“Look at Harshit, at the start he could not bat but he was always in the team as an all-rounder. He scored a fifty in his last ODI right? So the decision proved to be right there. If the players do not score at the start, we say look who Gambhir is selecting and this and that and he has to face the criticism. But with time, the same players do well, which has happened in Harshit’s case as well. He has the ability to become an all-rounder and he has shown glimpses,” he explained.
Kaif reckons Shubman Gill can become an all-format player for India. Gill is currently not part of the T20I team whereas he leads India in the other two formats.
“Gill will become an all-format player. It’s okay that he got dropped. No problem. He focused very well in the IPL. Many people do not do well under that pressure. But when he was dropped, he had it in his mind in the IPL. It is a big quality that he looked forward and not behind, great players do that. He has learnt to do well as a captain with the bowlers, he is scoring runs as well. I am sure 100% that he has playing for India in T20Is in his mind. Ishan Kishan also made a comeback right? Gill will also become an all-format player and a giant of the game. He is on the path of Sachin and Virat,” Mohammad Kaif said.
India will next take on Ireland in two T20Is.
