Kya birthday gift chahiye tere ko: Rohit Sharma jokes with Ishan Kishan

By India Today Sports Desk: India captain Rohit Sharma is renowned for his memorable moments both on and off the field. His witty responses to questions often make headlines, and a recent interaction ahead of the second Test against West Indies in Trinidad was no exception.

The occasion was the birthday of Ishan Kishan, Rohit’s India and Mumbai Indians teammate. When asked about his gift plans for the young wicketkeeper-batter, Rohit responded with a humorous twist. Instead of offering a gift, he suggested that Kishan should be the one to present a gift by scoring a hundred, leaving everyone in splits.

“Kya birthday gift chahiye bhai tereko? Sub toh hai bhai. Team ko puchna padega. (What do you want brother? You have everything. Will have to ask the team. We should ask the team about this. It should be the team’s contribution), ” Rohit said. “Birthday gift tu hum logo ko dey bhai 100 run karke (You should give us a birthday gift by scoring 100 runs).”

Interestingly, Kishan had already received an early birthday present from Rohit when he was given his Test debut in the series opener in Dominica. Although Kishan didn’t get much opportunity with the bat due to an early declaration of the Indian innings, his performance behind the stumps was impressive. He showcased his skills on a turning pitch against the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Rohit Sharma has always been vocal about Kishan’s talent. He has scored a double-century in ODI cricket and Rohit believes that he should be given more chances to showcase his abilities. Known for his aggressive batting style, Kishan has been given full freedom by Rohit to express himself on the field.

Rohit also highlighted Kishan’s wicketkeeping skills during his Test debut. Despite the challenging conditions of the pitch, where the ball was turning, bouncing, and occasionally keeping low, Kishan performed exceptionally well. Although he scored only one run due to the declaration, Rohit expressed confidence that Kishan would be ready and eager to perform better in future matches.

“Ishan is a very talented guy. He has scored double-century in limited-overs cricket. We have to give him more chances to showcase his talent. He likes to bat aggressively. I have had a clear discussion with him and given him full freedom and he needs that,” Rohit said.

“I would like to point out his wicketkeeping. He kept really well considering he was playing his first Test on a pitch where the ball was turning and bouncing, some were keeping low. Unfortunate he scored only one because we had to declare. I am sure when he gets to bat more, he will be ready and raring to go.”