Ranchi, October 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has backed local favourite Ishan Kishan to make an impact in the second T20I against the West Indies in Ranchi, praising the batter’s growth into a more mature and tactical match-winner.
The second T20I will be played at the JSCA Ground in Ranchi on Friday. Kishan, who is originally from Patna but represents Jharkhand in domestic cricket, has enjoyed an outstanding run in the shortest format. He currently leads the run-scoring charts with 1,042 runs from 30 innings and is also a T20 World Cup winner.
“As a batting coach, whichever ground Ishan plays in, he considers it his home ground. Actually, when he came back after the World Cup, he has been doing really well for the Indian team in any situation,” Kotak said during the pre-match press conference.
Recalling his association with Kishan from his early days in the IPL, Kotak said the batter has retained his aggressive approach while developing greater maturity.
“When he was young, I saw him when I worked in the IPL, where he was in the Gujarat Lions setup. But even then, he used to play aggressively. If anything, I would say that he is much more mature now,” Kotak said.
“He plays according to the needs of the team and the situation of the team, and he has been doing really well. So, we just hope that he does well on his home ground,” he added.
Kotak also reiterated India’s commitment to a fearless, high-intensity and team-first approach, saying the Ranchi conditions would not change their T20 strategy.
“I think the way we are approaching with the fearless and team-first approach — that’s the same way we’ll go. No matter, it might be a different wicket also, but in T20s generally we get a good wicket,” he said.
Describing the surface as favourable for batting, Kotak said he expected a high-scoring contest, while adding that the playing XI had not yet been finalised.
On managing the workload of senior players, including Jasprit Bumrah, who has been rested for the series, Kotak acknowledged that rotation can sometimes affect results but said India’s strong bench strength provides the team with flexibility.
“Obviously, any team in the world will require bench strength, and somewhere and somewhere you have to give them chances. So, sometimes results do suffer, but normally I think we have enough strong bench strength that our results also don’t suffer as much,” he said.
Addressing concerns over young pacer Mayank Yadav’s performance in the opening match, Kotak said the bowler would be expected to improve as he regains his rhythm.
He said the bowling group continuously analyses where runs are being conceded and works on adjustments involving length, pace and variations.
Kotak also stressed the importance of giving opportunities to promising young players while maintaining the balance between winning matches and building future depth.
“When you give a chance to new players, some experienced players will miss out. But when you get a close match against a team that plays well, that time you feel that it is a process, and whenever we get a chance, then we should give a chance to the young players for future bench strength,” he said.
FOLLOW NOW
