Guwahati: Roped into the side as a forced change replacing injured skipper Rohit Sharma, opener Ishan Kishan grabbed the opportunity with both hands by slamming the fastest ever double century to power India to a massive 409 for 8, in the inconsequential third and final ODI against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Saturday.
With the feat, Kishan became the seventh overall, and fourth Indian batter to achieve the milestone. Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag are the other Indians to slam a double ton in the 50-over format. New Zealand’s Martin Guptill, West Indies’ Chris Gayle and Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman are the other batters to get past the 200-run mark in the format.
Ishan roared his way to the double century in mere 126 balls, to eclipse West Indies great Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest to 200 in an ODI innings. Gayle had reached the milestone in 138 balls against Zimbabwe in 2015.
Kishan eventually ended up with a flamboyant 210 off 131 deliveries, laced with 24 boundaries and 10 sixes. Former skipper Virat Kohli’s 91-ball 131, looked a pale shadow of Kishan’s belligerent knock.
Ishan’s knock has certainly reopened the debate on batting approach up the order in white ball cricket. The Indian cricket team has recently been under fire for a rather defensive batting approach in the shorter formats of the game.
Hailing Ishan’s knock, former opener Virender Sehwag said, “That’s the way to do it. Brilliant from Ishan Kishan. This is the approach that will do Team India a world of good.”
Former India pace spearhead Venkatesh Prasad also echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Take a bow Ishan Kishan. Fastest double hundred in the history of the game. This is the way that India has to adopt. Might not come off on a few days but any day a better approach. Such a joy to watch.”
The Jharkhand southpaw also surpassed former skipper Sourav Ganguly to become India’s highest individual run-scorer as an opener in an overseas game. Ganguly had scored 183 against Sri Lanka in Taunton in 1999.
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At 24 years, Ishan thus became the youngest ever double centurion in ODIs and is also the first ever batter in history to convert a maiden hundred into a double ton.
Bangladesh have already clinched the three-match series by winning the first two matches.
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