Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has strongly backed wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan to secure his place in India’s squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup, declaring him a “complete player” who is now almost impossible to leave out.
Gavaskar’s glowing endorsement follows Kishan’s blistering 125 off just 79 balls—his second One-Day International century, arriving nearly four years after his famous maiden double-hundred. The left-hander’s explosive return to form has shifted the selectors’ focus, earning him a spot in the upcoming ODI squad for the Afghanistan series ahead of high-profile contemporaries Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant.
Speaking after Kishan’s masterclass, Gavaskar suggested the 27-year-old has already done enough to book his ticket for the next World Cup cycle.
“I think he’s got his visa already,” Gavaskar remarked. “Somebody else has to really play out of their skin to keep Ishan Kishan out of the team. He’s such a big contributor in the T20 format and he’s batting so well.”
Kishan’s blistering 125 off 79 balls against Afghanistan in Lucknow—where he accelerated from 50 to 100 in a mere 19 deliveries—caps off a sensational run of form across formats in 2026. The left-hander crossed the 1,000-run milestone in ODIs during the knock, carrying forward his rich vein of form from the T20 World Cup earlier this year, where he plundered 317 runs and became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a half-century in the tournament’s history.
TECHNICAL EVOLUTION
Gavaskar highlighted a noticeable evolution in Kishan’s technical game over the past 18 months, noting that technical flaws that once plagued the batsman have been completely ironed out.
“Look at that shot Graham [Swann] was talking about, the lofted extra-cover drive. He’s got a very good defence as well. Anything short, he’s quick to go on to the back foot and pull it away for sixes,” Gavaskar said.
“He’s just a complete player now, and he’s become a complete player over the last year and a half. Earlier, you thought maybe around the off stump he was a little vulnerable. He didn’t quite have that lofted extra-cover drive. That’s what he’s got now, and it’s so hard to keep him quiet.”
QUINTESSENTIAL TEAM MAN
Kishan’s adaptability has also caught the eye of former England spinner Graeme Swann, who praised the batsman’s selfless approach and tactical maturity during his fluid partnership with Shubman Gill. Kishan, who hammered down the selectors’ doors in the domestic circuit last year to break into the T20 World Cup setup, is currently operating as India’s primary back-up opener and wicketkeeper.
“He’s the quintessential team man. You ask him to bat at No. 3, he gives you a valuable knock like he did in the first game. Today he’s batting at No. 4 and he was just belligerent,” Swann noted. “He doesn’t care what number he bats at as long as he’s got the India shirt on, and that’s good.”
Swann added that Kishan’s ability to read the game‘s tempo was crucial in weathering difficult playing conditions:
“When he came in, his first fifty, even though he was by no means slow, was all about doing what the team needed. Shubman Gill was batting incredibly at the other end, so he more or less took the back seat. Then Shubman realised Ishan Kishan had put his foot down and was getting runs almost at will, so he just took the singles. It was the perfect partnership in the heat because neither of them was wearing himself out. Shubman was just walking singles, watching a few boundaries, taking another single, and Ishan was playing some incredible shots.”
Echoing Gavaskar’s technical praise, Swann emphasised how daunting Kishan has become for modern bowling attacks.
“He was very good on the leg side and excellent at pouncing on anything short. But the highlight for me was those shots over extra cover. When he gives himself a bit of room and goes over extra cover, as a bowler it’s a nightmare because you don’t want someone to be strong on both sides of the ground. The fact that such a small guy can hit big sixes over extra cover is brilliant.”
– Ends
