Irfan Pathan lauds Ishan Kishan’s consistency, calls SRH batter “more complete”

JioStar expert Irfan Pathan praised Ishan Kishan’s improved consistency and spin play for Sunrisers Hyderabad, calling him a more complete batter. He also highlighted Heinrich Klaasen’s smart approach against Josh Hazlewood and termed on-field Kohli-Head exchange part of competitive cricket.

Hyderabad: JioStar expert Irfan Pathan praised Ishan Kishan’s consistency for SRH this season.

“Ishan Kishan has shown tremendous improvement this season, especially in the way he has taken responsibility in different match situations and on different surfaces. Batting at No. 3, he’s playing a very important role for Sunrisers Hyderabad and looks far more complete as a batter now. One of the biggest improvements in his game has been his ability against spin, particularly through the off-side, because once he combines that with his natural strength on the leg side, he becomves extremely difficult to contain and looked in complete control throughout the innings.”

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On the heated on-field exchange between Virat Kohli and Travis Head,Irfan said : “Virat Kohli has always enjoyed playing cricket with that aggressive Australian-style intensity, a bit of banter, competitiveness, and emotion on the field. During that moment, he was asking Travis Head to come on and bowl a few deliveries instead of remaining off the field as an impact substitute. ”

“These kinds of exchanges are quite natural in high-pressure games, especially when both teams are competing for crucial positions on the points table. In the end, it was simply part of the intensity and competitive spirit that comes with top-level cricket,” he said.

On Heinrich Klaasen’s intent to take on Josh Hazlewood, Irfan said: “What stood out in Heinrich Klaasen’s innings was his awareness of the situation and his ability to identify that a bowler like Josh Hazlewood was under pressure. Hazlewood hasn’t quite been at his best in the last few games, and Klaasen recognised that immediately and decided to attack him.”

” Some of the deliveries were below Hazlewood’s usual standards, full tosses and half-volleys, but you still need a batter in top form to capitalise the way Klaasen did. To sense that pressure on the bowler and then execute so confidently shows exactly why Heinrich Klaasen is in outstanding form at the moment,” he said.