Ishan Kishan sets Chittagong on fire !!

Karnaphuli river originates  in the Mizo Hills of Mizoram state, northeastern India, flows about 170 miles (270 km) south and southwest through the southeastern arm of Bangladesh to empty into the Bay of Bengal, 12 miles (19 km) below the city of Chittagong. In the Chittagong Hill Tracts area it is known as the Kynsa Khyoung.  No post on History or Geography but on the fastest 200 in ODI Cricket registered few minutes ago here.

Chittagong, officially called Chattogram, city that is the chief Indian Ocean port of Bangladesh. It lies about 12 miles (19 km) north of the mouth of the Karnaphuli River.  After losing the Series already, India is playing ODI 4499 at Chattogram, today at the stadium named after Bangla Awami league politician -    Zahur Ahmad Chowdhury  

Bangladesh captain Litton Das won a third consecutive toss against India and chose to bowl on a grassy Chattogram pitch. They made two changes, bringing in a fit-again Taskin Ahmed and local boy Yasir Ali in place of Nasum Ahmed and Najmul Hossain Shanto. India also made two changes, with injuries forcing them to rejig their side. Captain Rohit Sharma, who sustained a thumb injury while attempting - and dropping - a catch in the slips during the second ODI in Mirpur, has since returned to Mumbai to consult a specialist. In his absence, KL Rahul has taken charge of the side, while Ishan Kishan got his first game on tour and was lined up to open along with Shikhar Dhawan.

Last year, in ODI no. 4307 - 1st ODI (D/N), between India and Sri Lanka   at Premadasa stadium previously known as   Khettarama Stadium, Ishan made his ODI debut.

There was a time, when in limited overs Cricket to bolster batting line-up, India went in with Rahul Dravid as a wicket keeper .. .. after Rishab Pant’s stellar innings and KL Rahul too becoming a gloveman,    can you imagine another wicket-keeper getting into the squad… ..- Ishan Pranav Kumar Pandey Kishan – we may hear and see more of him !!  A wicketkeeper and left-handed opening batsman from Jharkhand, the same state MS Dhoni hails from, Ishan Kishan led India at the Under-19 World Cup in 2016 in Bangladesh, where his team finished runners-up to West Indies.

He first came to limelight with  a 69-ball 87, studded with eight sixes, on a rank Rajkot turner in a Ranji Trophy clash against Saurashtra in October 2015. He  made his first-class debut for Jharkhand in December 2014 and scored a century and five fifties in his first ten first-class matches. His attacking approach to batting had him picked by Gujarat Lions in the 2016 IPL auction for INR 35 lakh ($US 52,000 approx) at the age of 17.

Have seen Farokh Engineer at Chepauk in 1975 and a couple of months later saw Syed Kirmani, in action at Marina grounds in a Buchibabu match. When Kirmani became regular – thought Bharat Reddy would replace him.  Reddy did play in 1979 England series .. .. .. then for the WI tour in 1983 an young Kiran More appeared.  Sadanand Vishwanath was flashy in 1985 but faded too soon. A few years later came Nayan Mongia – in between Chandrakant Pandit, from Bombay, played 5 tests – only 2 of them as a keeper, rest as a pure batsman !     

Last year at Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore in the Elite group match of Vijay Hazare Troph Jharkhand made 422/9 and bowled out Madhya Pradesh for a paltry 98 winning by 324 runs !  Ishan Kishan sent social media into a frenzy with his breathtaking batting display. Kishan slammed 11 sixes and 19 fours on his way to a scintillating 173 off just 94 balls.    

Long after Glenn Turner’s 171 came the epic knock of Kapil Dev and for decades 200 was considered unachievable.    The first double century in ODI was scored by Australian women cricketer Belinda Clarke in 1997 – yes the first was not a batsman but woman – on 16^th Dec 1997  skipper of Australian women’s cricket team Belinda Clark  smashed an unbeaten 229 off just 155 balls against Denmark in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup match played at MIG Ground, Mumbai to propel Australia to a mammoth 412 for 3 against Denmark.  There is another women double centurion too – in June 2018, New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr entered the record books by scoring the highest individual score in women’s ODIs.   Kerr also became the joint third-youngest (17 years and 243 days) woman to score an ODI century when she was promoted to open the innings for the first time in her career. She also became the youngest ever to score a double-century across formats in international cricket.

Today it was a brilliant classy innings from the left hander Ishan Kishan who before getting caught in the deep by Litton Das off Taskin Ahmed made 210 off just 131 balls studded with 24 fours and 10 sixers !!

He joins the elite list of double centurions of ODI – Rohit Sharma (264, 209,208*); Martin Guptil 237*; Virender Sehwag 219; Chris Gayle 215; Fakhar Zaman 210*; Sachin Tendulkar 200* - and Belinda Clarke and Amelia Kerr.

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
10.12.2022