He is going to hurt you every day

Former India player Murali Kartik has lauded Ishan Kishan for his consistent performances since returning to the Men in Blue lineup. He pointed out that bowlers would be taken to the cleaners every time they bowl in his strong areas.

India restricted Afghanistan to 156/8 in the first T20I in Delhi on Sunday, September 13. Kishan scored 42 runs off 33 balls in the chase to help his team achieve the target with seven wickets and 38 balls to spare.

During a discussion on Sony Sports, Kartik noted that Kishan would invariably make the bowlers pay if they bowl to his strengths.

“He has been a modicum of consistency for India. Just look at what he has been doing from the time he has come back into the side. He has been phenomenal. He is one of those who has found a way to get runs now. The initial impetuousness that he had when he was in the Indian team before; now the transformation has been heartening to see,” the former India spinner said.

“Some of the shots that he plays and some of the control that he has over most of the shots, there are certain no-go areas as a bowler to him. Don’t go into his hips, don’t bowl short, don’t bowl wide; he has got such fast hands, he is going to hurt you every day,” he added.

Ishan Kishan struck five fours and a six during his 42-run knock. He was eventually caught by Rashid Khan at long-on off Mohammad Nabi’s bowling while attempting to hit a six to score the winning runs.

“Sometimes he also expects a bit too much from himself” – Murali Kartik on Abhishek Sharma’s knock in AFG vs IND 2026 1st T20I

Reflecting on Abhishek Sharma‘s knock in the same discussion, Murali Kartik noted that the destructive opener has undue expectations of himself at times.

“The kind of shots that he plays, the kind of risks that he takes – sometimes you expect too much from him, and sometimes he also expects a bit too much from himself. That’s why there are times when you want him to take that extra moment. He is unstoppable. Even if he defends two, he can hit a six off the third. So he is still going at 200. That’s the kind of strike rate he bats at anyway,” he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Yuvraj Singh might have advised his mentee not to be aggressive on every ball, highlighting that a slight change in approach was evident in Sunday’s game.

“Somebody he looks up to is Yuvraj Singh, and I am pretty sure, knowing Yuvraj Singh, he would have been in his ear saying that you can still have your moments in T20 cricket. You don’t have to go at the rate of knots every ball. That was very evident in the way he batted today (Sunday),” Kartik observed.

Abhishek Sharma smashed 82 runs off 32 balls in the first T20I against Afghanistan, a knock studded with seven fours and as many sixes. He added 121 runs for the second wicket with Ishan Kishan.