Ishan Kishan's heroics against Pakistan in Asia Cup spark heated debate between Mohammed Kaif and Gautam Gambhir

Ishan Kishan spark debate (Source - Twitter)

In a thrilling encounter between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in the opening clash of the Asia Cup 2023, it was Ishan Kishan who stole the limelight with an outstanding batting performance. Kishan, known primarily as an opener, found himself at the No. 5 spot in the batting order for India due to the absence of KL Rahul. However, it was a move that proved to be a masterstroke as Kishan's heroics silenced his doubters regarding his ability to contribute to India's middle-order.

Mohammad Kaif, a former Indian cricketer, shared his perspective on the matter during a chat on Star Sports after India's innings against Pakistan. Kaif expressed that when KL Rahul regains full fitness, he will return to the middle-order and Ishan may have to bide his time on the bench, despite his impressive showing against Pakistan.

'To win the World Cup, name is more important or form?' - Gautam Gambhir

"KL Rahul is a proven match-winner. At No. 5, his numbers are fabulous. So, Rahul Dravid knows, there is that clarity in his mind that...remember, Mohammed Shami was dropped today. So, when KL Rahul is fit again, he will be playing in the XI, and Ishan Kishan will have to wait for his next opportunity. Ishan is doing all that he needs. He scored in that series against West Indies...his graph is only going up and is getting better by the day. He has a double century to his name as well. He has class and talent, but he cannot replace Rahul yet because the latter is not playing because of bad form, but due to an injury," Kaif remarked.

However, Gautam Gambhir, another former Indian cricketer, took issue with Kaif's viewpoint and posed a thought-provoking question, "To win the World Cup, name is more important or form?" Gambhir went on to emphasize the importance of current form over reputation, stating that had players of the calibre of Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma delivered four consecutive fifties, no one would question their place in the squad in favour of KL Rahul.

"Had Kohli or Rohit made those four consecutive fifties, would you have said the same thing about KL Rahul? When you are preparing to win a World Cup, you don't look at a name, you look at the form of a player that could win you the trophy," Gambhir passionately asserted.