‘You shouldn’t have short-term memory’ – Irfan Pathan on Ishan Kishan versus KL Rahul debate ahead of Asia Cup 2023 game against Pakistan
The Indian Cricket team is getting ready for a grueling few weeks and it begins this Sunday. India will play its first game of the Super Four game against Pakistan at Colombo on 10th September. The Indian team made it to the Super Four stage with a win over Nepal on Monday after they earned a point against Pakistan.
The focus in the game against Pakistan will be the playing XI as KL Rahul has made a comeback to the team. Irfan Pathan, the former Indian all-rounder has given his comments on the debate that is raging. There is a raging debate in the Indian cricket circle between Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul.
Ishan Kishan was the wicket-keeper batter for India in the absence of KL Rahul for the last few months. The 25-year-old has been in good nick with the bat and played a crucial knock of 82 in the game against Pakistan last Saturday. The availability of KL Rahul could mean that the 31-year-old could be bought back for the Super Four game on Sunday.
Irfan Pathan gives his take on Kishan versus Rahul debate
Former India player, Irfan Pathan was recently in conversation with Star Sports. The 38-year-old while speaking on the wicket-keeper debate said “Both cannot have a place in the XI. Both can only play if someone gets injured in the top order, which we don’t want, or loses his form completely. I have only one thing to say about the ongoing debate”
Further speaking on the issue Irfan Pathan backed KL Rahul to make a swift comeback to the playing XI. This is despite Kishan scoring four half-centuries in each of the ODI games he has batted recently. Kishan scored 82 off just 81 balls in the group game against Pakistan and bailed India out of trouble.
Irfan Pathan said this to Star Sports “Ishan Kishan scored runs against Pakistan at No. 5, which is not his position. God forbid if he gets out in the next match, will we say he is not in form? No, that’s not the case. We forget very quickly. We should never forget KL Rahul’s numbers for the last two years and Ishan Kishan has played one innings.”
The 38-year-old former India star also said “You shouldn’t have short-term memory. You should have long-term thinking and I feel the thinking with which the management is going is absolutely correct because if you keep going with short-term memory, you will have a lot of difficulty in making the team, stabilizing it, and giving confidence to the guys.”
The former India star ended up by saying “You just have to keep in mind that if KL Rahul comes and plays and doesn’t get his form, then you can say that he didn’t regain his form after injury and you can give Ishan Kishan the entire World Cup. However, as soon as KL Rahul comes, he will play.”
KL Rahul has found a new lease of life in the ODI format after he was shifted to the number 5 position. The 31-year-old has also been steady behind the stumps despite not being a regular wicketkeeper. This year Rahul has played 6 ODI games scoring 226 runs with 2 half-centuries. He has an average of 56.5 and a strike rate of 77.6 and six catches behind the stumps.
