Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan produced a blistering knock during India’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up clash against South Africa on Wednesday, staking a strong claim for a place in the playing XI for the tournament opener against the USA.

The left-hander smashed 53 off just 20 deliveries, striking two fours and seven sixes, before retiring out. With Sanju Samson enduring a lean patch, Kishan’s explosive innings have more or less sealed his spot in India’s starting XI.

Speaking after the match, Kishan revealed that while he has batted at No. 3 in recent games, he was keen to open the innings against South Africa, adding that he remains comfortable batting anywhere in the order.

“I was really excited for Wednesday. I wanted to open the innings. Batting at number three, I enjoyed that situation, but with the World Cup coming up, no matter what position I bat in, my focus is always on doing my best for the team,” Kishan said.

He emphasised the importance of staying present at the crease and reacting instinctively rather than overthinking.

“It’s about staying in the present, watching the ball and playing the shots that are required at that point in time. I’m not putting too much thought into it — just reacting and playing accordingly, and that seems to be working for me.”

Kishan also credited the batting-friendly pitch, saying it allowed batters to trust the bounce and play their shots with confidence.

“Some days you feel really good, some days you don’t. On this particular day, I also have to give credit to the pitch. It was tremendous to bat on, even in the second innings. I trusted the wicket and the bounce.”

With the World Cup fast approaching, the 26-year-old stressed the importance of backing oneself.

“If the ball is there, even if there’s a fielder, you back yourself and go for it.”

Kishan also spoke highly of Tilak Varma, underlining his growing importance to the side. “He’s very important to us. He’s not just a batsman anymore, he gives us a few overs when two left-handers are batting, he’s a very good fielder, and the way he’s batting now, you need someone at number three who can rotate the strike and keep things moving.”

Reflecting on the team’s bowling effort, Kishan felt India did a commendable job despite the flat surface, while acknowledging there is still room for improvement.

“There’s always room for improvement. We’ll sit down and discuss areas where we can plan better. But on this wicket, I think we did a pretty good job. It wasn’t easy, and we didn’t give away too many sixes. Overall, it was a solid bowling effort.”

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