Watch: Ishan Kishan’s ‘excitement’ for red-ball cricket following his maiden Test call-up for Australia series

Young India batter Ishan Kishan seems to be on cloud nine after earning the call-up to don the whites for the first time. On 13 January, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand, followed by a 17-man unit for the first two Tests against Australia. Kishan has made it to all three squads, thanks to his impressive form in recent times. However, though he has already demonstrated his quality in the limited-over formats, the 24-year-old still has to prove his worth in red-ball cricket.

Ahead of making his debut in the longest format, Kishan expressed his excitement while speaking with his teammate Shubman Gill in an exclusive interview on BCCI’s official Twitter.

During the session, Gill first showered much praise on his fellow batter, referring to Kishan’s recent swashbuckling form in white-ball cricket. Then, he queried about his fellow opener’s feelings on starting off a new chapter of his career in Test cricket. Kishan responded with a hearty smile and revealed that according to his father, Test cricket possesses the most challenges and demands the batter to be at his best. He further said, “I am very happy to get the opportunity. In my opinion, Test is considered the purest form of cricket. So, as I have the opportunity, I will try to get the best out of it.”

Gill then asked about Kishan’s experience at the Ranji Trophy. In reply, the southpaw mentioned the challenging condition of red-ball matches. “I enjoy playing red-ball cricket. The ball swings a lot there and the situation remains tight. However, you get the time to settle as there is no pressure to score runs. Sometimes it looks easy, sometimes difficult but I have enjoyed playing in any condition in the Ranji Trophy,” he stated.

Looking at his Ranji career so far, Kishan has appeared in 87 matches. The Mumbai batter has racked up a total of 3026 runs at a batting average of 38.79. He has recorded as many as 15 half-centuries and 5 hundred in the domestic circuit.

Kishan kicked off his debut innings with a boundary in both ODI and T20I. Revealing the amazing fact, Gill asked if he would look to continue the trend in Test cricket too. Kishan showed great maturity and noted that he would look at the game from the team’s perspective.

The wicketkeeper-batter explained in detail, “I come in to bat at No 6 in Tests. In that case, I need to read the situation first before going for any big shot. If the team is not in a good situation and I make any mistake, it will let the team down. Without thinking about fours and sixes, it’s more important to bring your team to a comfortable position.”

The injury of Rishabh Pant has opened the slot for a wicketkeeper in the red-ball team. Apart from Kishan, KS Bharat has also been included in the squad. India and Australia will square off for the opening Test starting on 9 February at the VCA Stadium, Nagpur.

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