Pathan defends Gambhir as Kishan's injury explains batting-order switch in Christchurch
A batting-order decision that drew heavy criticism on Thursday now has an explanation. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has urged fans and pundits to hold back their judgement of head coach Gautam Gambhir. His reason is that Ishan Kishan was carrying a fitness problem during the opening T20I against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
India chased down 226 in that game and won by four wickets with two balls left. That is a record chase for India in the format. The result put India 1-0 up in the five-match series. Kishan's position in the chase, though, took most of the attention while the game was on.
Kishan has been India's regular No. 3 in this T20I side. This time Tilak Varma was sent in at that spot, and Kishan came in at No. 5. The move did not look smart in real time. Tilak was out for six off 11 balls. Kishan then lasted only three deliveries, scoring one before he holed out on the leg-side boundary off New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. Social media asked why the team had tinkered with a settled order in a big chase.
Pathan said on X that Kishan had a niggle during the match, and that this was why he batted lower. He added that people were quick to blame Gambhir for the change without knowing what was going on. The clear message was to find out the facts before passing judgement.
The BCCI has since backed up the fitness angle. It confirmed that Kishan is out of the second T20I with a low-grade right adductor strain, which he picked up in the first match. The board said its medical team is monitoring his progress. The second game is at the same venue on Saturday, October 24. The injury was described as a groin strain in some coverage, but the board's wording is adductor strain.
The full picture changes how the first-game selection looks. The team management seems to have been working around an injury during the innings, rather than making a tactical gamble. Gambhir's decisions on batting order have often been questioned, and fans tend to react quickly when a move fails. Here, the outcome did not match the reasoning, and the reasoning only came out later. India still won, which helps the coach's case. The team is also now 1-0 up.
For India, the immediate question is who replaces Kishan. He is a left-hander who can hit hard at the top of the order. The selectors and team management now have to decide how to cover his No. 3 role in Saturday's game and, if he needs more time, later in the series. How much rest and rehab the 28-year-old gets will depend on what the medical team finds over the coming days. Kishan was hurt in the middle of a high-scoring chase, so the team will want to avoid any risk of a longer layoff. With four matches left, they can afford to be cautious.
New Zealand's attack was put under real pressure in that chase, but they will go into the second match knowing India have lost a key option. The home side's bowlers will fancy their chances of tightening things up. India will need their other batters to show the same fearlessness that got them past 226. They can still take control of the series with another win at Hagley Oval.