IND vs WI 3rd ODI: Ishan Kishan underlines Shubman Gill's role, says 'gives me a lot of confidence'

India’s Ishan Kishan has underlined the importance of Shubman Gill in the side after the duo led the foundation for India’s win against the West Indies in the third ODI on Tuesday, August 1. Kishan, adjudged Player of the Series, insisted Gill played a huge role in boosting his confidence India beat the hosts by 200 runs in the final ODI to clinch the series 2-1. Kishan also commented on the T20 World Cup in 2024 and is not thinking about it at the moment.

Kishan underlines Gill’s importance

"He’s a tremendous player, I’ve seen how he middles the ball. Seeing him hitting it out of the middle gives me a lot of confidence as well. Always important to win at this level, and the learnings from these games are important. We were looking to get early wickets and didn't let any ball go. Everyone is looking very positive," Kishan said in a post-match interaction after helping India win the series.

The dynamic star from Mumbai Indians, Ishan was instrumental in India’s success as they beat the hosts to win the series. He played a crucial knock of 76 runs in the decisive final ODI while also scoring 55 and 52 in the previous two ODIs. His performances saw him awarded Player of the Series while his partner Shubman Gill was awarded Player of the Match.

Kishan also commented on the T20 World Cup and thinks it is a bridge too far and is not thinking about it. With senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma out of contention for the shortest format, Kishan is the front-runner to be in the first team and will be a key member for the Indian side when they return to the Caribbean Islands in 2024.

"I’ve played a few tournaments here and I know how the wickets play here, not really thinking about the next T20 World Cup. Focusing on the upcoming tournaments, you know how one tournament can change your life. We’re just focusing on that now," said Kishan.

Why Kishan could be in the Indian team for ODI World Cup?

With India struggling to accommodate left-hand batters in the Playing XI for the upcoming ODI World Cup, Kishan could be in India’s plan. With Rishabh Pant also missing from the team due to injury, Kishan could be the backup option as a wicketkeeper for the showpiece event that kickstarts on October 5 in India.

The Indian team for the ODI World Cup is likely to be announced at the end of the month while the Asia Cup 2023 takes center stage. India will start their ODI World Cup campaign against Australia on Sunday, October 8 in Chennai.

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