From Mumbai Indians blue to India blue for Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav | Cricket News – Times of India

Mumbai Indians’ relentless domination in the IPL – which has seen them clinch the championship five times -is now helping more players from their stable to break into the Indian team in different formats.
On Sunday, the dynamic MI duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan made their ODI debut together in the first game of India’s limited overs series against Sri Lanka, underlining their rise in the white-ball format. Of course, Covid restrictions forcing India to field two different teams in England and Sri Lanka also played a part in it.

Ironically, just around four months back, both had made their T20 International debut together too, in the home series against England. Both had kicked off their international careers in style, smashing match-winning half-centuries. Having been made to wait for his maiden call for a long time despite performing consistently, ‘Surya’ took to international cricket like fish to water, tonking 57 off 31 balls, including a one-legged six off Jofra Archer off his first ball. One of the Mumbaikar’s greatest strengths is his ability to play a ‘360 degree’ game, which means that apart from the conventional strokes, he can play the scoop and reverse scoop with perfection.
“I’ve been watching Surya for a long time. He’s been making waves in Indian cricket, doing well in limited over formats for both Mumbai and MI. With his kind of calibre, I feel that Surya should’ve gotten his opportunity earlier. Nevertheless, he’s finally got his chance. He’s in great form and is the sort of batsman we need in the T20 World Cup. He can bat at any number and can be a lethal batsman for India,” former India wicketkeeper Kiran More, who, as the ‘keeping consultant for MI, has followed both ‘Sky’ and Kishan closely over the years, tells TOI. “The best part about his game is that most of the time, he plays proper cricketing shots. Unlike a ‘tukka player’ (wild slogger) this guy plays with a straight bat, which is why he’s a quality batsman. He’s one of the best batsmen against fast bowling in Indian cricket today, “praises More.

Kishan, interestingly, became only the second Indian and overall the 16th cricketer to make his ODI debut on his birthday. Gursharan Singh was the first Indian to do so, against Australia in Hamilton in 1990.
Kishan was always in the race to make it to India’s white-ball team after smashing a record 30 sixes for the Mumbai Indians in their fifth IPL title run last year. On his T20I debut against England at Ahmedabad in March, the 23-year-old, opening the innings with Rohit Sharma, carted 56 off 32 balls, including five fours and four sixes, to help India chase down 165 with ease.