New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull has praised Ishan Kishan’s explosive knock after India cruised to a comfortable victory over New Zealand in the second T20I on Friday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
New Zealand great feels that Kishan’s shots were amazing, and he missed a well-deserved hundred.
“Ishan played beautifully. He could have gotten a big hundred. We know his prowess, scoring a double hundred in ODIs. He’s got such power, and he does it so quickly,” Doull told Jio Star.
Highlighting the impact of Kishan’s counterattacking innings after India lost early wickets, Doull felt the aggressive approach put New Zealand under immediate pressure and allowed captain Suryakumar Yadav time to settle at the crease.
“When Abhishek obviously didn’t get them off to a good start, what Ishan did from two for six was to put New Zealand under pressure. He took the game away and allowed Surya to settle in. At one stage, Suryakumar was 11 off 11 balls. The way Ishan played allowed him to settle,” he said.
Doull also praised specific shots that stood out during Kishan’s 73-run innings. “There were a couple of shots that stood out. The one off Ish Sodhi, when he went down the wicket and then pulled the ball over mid-wicket, was a phenomenal shot,” he added.
“So I thought he was simply superb. He’s got shots all around the ground,” Doull said.
Turning his attention to India’s overall batting strength, Doull underlined the depth and power available throughout the lineup, even without some of the side’s most destructive hitters getting an opportunity to bat.
“If you take Abhishek away, who failed in the game, Rinku and Hardik, two of the most prolific six-hitters, didn’t even get a go. So India are out-sixing with guys who don’t usually; I mean, they do hit sixes, but your two real powerhouses didn’t even get a bat. I thought India was simply brilliant,” he said.
Doull felt New Zealand missed a crucial opportunity early in the contest despite reducing India to two for six.
“New Zealand had an opportunity early on, two for six, with both the openers gone, and they should have been better. I don’t think Mitchell Santner had a great night from a captaincy point of view. New Zealand just didn’t put enough on the board, and I’m not even sure 280 would have been enough,” he added.
Assessing India’s strength ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026, Doull said the current squad appears tailor-made for the shortest format.
“It’s a different-looking side to what we saw in the ODIs, to me. It’s a side that just looks like they really know how to play this format of the game. They’re enjoying it. There’s a mix of experience and youth. There’s all-out aggression,” he said.
Doull also praised India’s relentless mindset, regardless of match situations, which has helped the team achieve massive success.
“I think throughout the batting order it’s just about, ‘We are going to keep coming at you. I don’t care if we’re two for six; we’re going to keep coming at you, and we’re going to come harder.’ We saw that in the first game as well,” he said.
“They just look like a team that Surya has got in a great headspace at the moment. They’re playing with confidence. They were laughing and joking as they came off the field, the pats on the back, the rubs on the head, those little things that come with a team in a very good frame of mind and knowing exactly what they have up their sleeves.” Doull concluded.
–IANS
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