Md Kaif Names 'This Keeper' to Replace Pant, KL Rahul in India's World Cup Squad
Kishan has been in some form for Mumbai in IPL 2023 (AP Photo)
The Indian Cricket Team has been troubled by injuries to some of its important players in the months leading up to the World Cup. Rishabh Pant earlier this year, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer and now KL Rahul. While Pant, Iyer and Bumrah are not playing in the ongoing Indian Premier League, Rahul injured himself in one of the league games of the cash-rich tournament. None of these injured players are available for selection at least until the World Test Championship Final.
Rahul's injury has put the attention on the wicketkeeper batter's slot for the World Cup which will be played in India later this year. Ishan Kishan, whose performances in international cricket have been inconsistent, isn't a reliable option for a first-choice wicketkeeper-batter according to many, but former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif has named Kishan as the cricketer who thinks India should play as a stumper in the World Cup.
"I think Ishan Kishan. He is a proper wicket-keeper and he keeps well too," said Kaif in an interaction with StarSports.
Kishan has played 14 ODIs for India, from which he has 510 runs at an average of over 42.
In the ongoing IPL season, Kishan has scored 366 runs in 12 games at an average of over 30 and a strike rate of over 134. Overall in his IPL career of 87 matches, the 24-year-old has scored 2236 runs at an average of almost 30 and a strike rate of 134.05.
An injured Rahul, however, will be the best choice for the keeper batter if he recovers on time before the tournament.
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