Ishan Kishan showcased his impressive keeping skills on a rare ill-executed ball from Jasprit Bumrah.
Nearly flying behind the stumps, Ishan Kishan made a spectacular grab to save a certain five wides in Mumbai Indians’ (MI) IPL 2022 league-stage encounter against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) this Wednesday (April 13).
Kishan made an excellent dive to his right to pick up a rising short-pitched delivery down leg side from MI’s ace quick Jasprit Bumrah. For once, even the ever-disciplined Bumrah got his line wrong, which meant a doubly strenuous task for Kishan behind the stumps.
Bowling from around-the-wicket angle to PBKS opener Shikhar Dhawan, Bumrah tried to cramp the left-hander for room with one aimed for his body. But in a rare moment, the speedster got his line wrong and faltered down-leg to present Ishan Kishan with a doubly difficult take.
However, the young keeper was up to the task and made a valiant attempt at the ball, ending with a highly impressive grab with both his feet in the air.
The taken down leg was seen in full glory on the second ball of Bumrah’s maiden over of the PBKS’ first-innings. Facing the great bowler’s skiddy ball coming at his body, Dhawan looked to try and nudge it through the on-side.
WATCH: Shikhar Dhawan’s brilliant ramp over the keeper off Jasprit Bumrah
But the delivery kept tailing down-leg and became a wide. The way it also just kept rising after landing, PBKS would’ve also gotten four byes if not for the urgency and the great athleticism shown by MI’s young, impressive wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan.
— Peep (@Peep_at_me) April 13, 2022
Known more for his batting exploits, this was a telling example that Ishan Kishan is also an improving glover behind the stumps for MI and India. The youngster has been consistently brilliant keeping to both spin and pace in this year’s edition of the IPL.
What MI need, however, is from him to turn things around with bat in hand as they eye a recovery in the tournament following a four-match losing streak. Notably, the opening batter has made 145 runs from his first four innings of IPL 2022, but he has made them at a low-key strike-rate of 125, which is a big dip from Kishan at his best in the aggressor’s mould.
