Ishan Kishan fits in perfectly as Rohit Sharma's opening partner: Dale Steyn

Speaking before the mega clash between India and Australia in the cricket World Cup, South African pace legend Dale Steyn shared his thoughts and advice on how the Indian batters can combat the in-swingers from Mitchell Starc. Steyn also shared his views on the India vs Australia clash and spoke about Rohit Sharma’s probable opening partner in case Shubman Gill is unavailable for selection for today’s match. 

Speaking exclusively to Star Sports, StarCast expert Dale Steyn spoke about what should be India batters game plan against Mitchell Starc , he said, “They have faced Mitchell Starc before; they have been around the block. They’ve done it so many times before, so they just have to find a way. The big thing is to make sure you don’t get the front pad in the way of the stumps. Mitchell Starc, I was watching him the other night, and he took a hattrick, and exactly what he’s coming to try and do. He’s going to look at hitting the stumps; he’s going to target the front leg of all the Indian batters, look to swing the ball in slightly, look to get you LBW, bowled, and try to get your inside and outside edge. So that he can get them inside edge into the stumps or caught behind. The Indians have faced him before, and they kind of know how to counter him.

Playing in Chennai, it’s not the fastest pitch in the world, so there are ways to combat him. They might stay out of their crease a little bit, and there’s not as much swing in Chennai, so that might work in their favor. What might be a question mark is when Adam Zampa comes on to the right-handed batters. Now all of a sudden, we’re in the business now. But it’s just one man, only one man that’s going to be bowling, Adam Zampa, and his 10 overs, and they don’t have a handful of handy spinners after that, so it could work in India’s favor.”

Steyn expressed his thoughts on today’s India vs Australia clash, he said, “I was born in 1983, so that's 40 years. I've driven, that's my entire life really. But a huge game and Australia, one of those teams that when it comes to big tournaments like World Cup tend to turn up. Even if they haven't played their best cricket leading up to these World Cups, there's that mental attitude and that's just kind of built into their DNA and who they are, that they are absolute winners. 

When they arrive at these tournaments, guys that haven't been informed, all of a sudden start scoring runs, guys that haven't taken wickets, all of a sudden they're leading wicket-takers. So they're a big team when it comes to tournaments. But in India, playing at home, in front of their home crowd, in their home conditions, you can't write them off. Not with guys like Virat, not with guys like Rohit, and with some of the new players like Bumrah coming back into the team, they're just a wonderful cricket team.”

Steyn also spoke about who Rohit Sharma’s opening partner should be in case Shubman Gill is unavailable for selection for today’s match, he said, “I think Ishan Kishan fits in perfectly. Ishan Kishan is another guy that he's full of duties, he's full of his exuberance, he is a guy that will do pretty much the same thing. He just hasn't done it as consistently as someone like Shubman Gill. But Rohit Sharma, the man scored double hundreds in the white ball format. He has got his strength into this format. I don't think he can, he should change his game much.

Something he's got there, do what Rohit Sharma does, and Ishan Kishan taking that play and he left-handed too, so it brings in that dynamic that there's always that left-handed, right-handed combination. I know teams talk about it, but it is a thing. I was an opening bowler and I must be honest with you I hated it. I hate having to make a decision. Should I come around the wicked? Should I bring this man up? Whoever it is, when there are two right-handed batters out there, I know all I have to do is run in, and focus on swinging them all away. But now I've to think differently, our planning changes, you hate that. You want to simplify your game. Ishan Kishan has just thrown a spanner in the works for Australia.”