'He could have scored a hundred' - Legendary spinner in awe of Ishan Kishan's fearless intent and selflessness

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has lauded Ishan Kishan for his batting display in the second T20I of the ongoing five-match series between India and New Zealand. Kishan was awarded the Player of the Match for his explosive 32-ball 76-run knock at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium on January 23.

Ashwin was amazed at the manner in which Kishan batted without thinking of his century. He also complimented the left-handed batter's shot-making ability and his no-holds-barred outlook.

“What a knock, man. What batting from Ishan Kishan, wow, just wow! Anyone who watched him in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy would recognize this instantly. This is exactly how he was batting there too. No pressure of selection, no overthinking, just pure intent and freedom. Even today, he could’ve easily slowed down and scored a hundred, but he didn’t. He kept going for it, kept trusting his shots. That fearless mindset is what truly sets Ishan Kishan apart from the rest," shared Ashwin in a video on his YouTube channel.

Kishan's knock comprised 11 fours and four sixes. His belligerent carnage with the bat was cut short on the first ball of the 10th over of the chase as Ish Sodhi combined with Matt Henry to bring the whirlwind knock to an end, with Kishan departing after a match-winning 49-ball 122-run stand with T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav.

India eventually won by seven wickets and 28 deliveries to spare as Suryakumar (82* off 37) and Shivam Dube (36* off 18) finished things off. The Suryakumar-led unit took a 2-0 lead after also winning the series-opening clash in Nagpur on January 21.

The Men in Blue, who have never lost a T20I series against New Zealand in India, will aim to seal the deal in Guwahati on January 25. Kishan, who was announced in India's squad for this series as well as the T20 World Cup 2026, will be intent to carry on with the good work in the remainder of the series.