🏏 Ishan Kishan Edges Gill: Bold India Pivot

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Key Takeaways

1📊 Kishan: 517 SMAT runs, SR ~200, leads Jharkhand to title
2🏆 Gill axed despite Asia Cup success, Rinku returns
3💡 Form over familiarity: Echoes past WC selection shocks
4🔮 Tests new openers in WC warm-ups, semis path hinges here
5💬 Harbhajan: Gill learns from setback

"Kishan bolted into the squad on domestic form, creating room for a middle-order batter"

In a shock World Cup squad twist, Ishan Kishan storms in with 517 runs at near-200 strike rate from Syed Mushtaq Ali triumph, axing Shubman Gill to revive Rinku Singh's hopes. This late pivot scraps India's settled Asia Cup lineup of Gill-Abhishek Sharma openers, spotlighting domestic form over familiarity amid selection ruthlessness.[cmjfdp9qw0004w58vynh6bjz4]

Shubman Gill, vice-captain and opener mainstay, featured in Asia Cup wins, but Kishan's Jharkhand leadership flips the script. Rinku Singh, long unlucky, gains middle-order slot, while Jitesh Sharma faces collateral heat. This echoes 2019 WC snubs, prioritizing peak form for crunch games.[cmjfdp9qw0004w58vynh6bjz4]

Domestic Form Trumps Reputation

Kishan's 517 runs (avg ~50+, SR ~200) outshines Gill's recent 30-40 avg in bilaterals; parallels KL Rahul's 2023 ODI axe for Shubman. Kishan's keeping adds utility, Rinku's finishing (IPL SR 150+) bolsters lower order. Stats favor aggressors: WC winners average 45+ SR 140 openers.[cmjfdp9qw0004w58vynh6bjz4]

Squad Balance Reshaped for WC

Pivoting opens Rinku door but risks Gill's technique vs spin; impacts standings if openers falter early. Like Australia's 2023 changes, it signals desperation for balance, eyeing semis push.[cmjfdp9qw0004w58vynh6bjz4]