Ishan Kishan (Player of the Match): (On whether giving up captaincy helped his batting) “No, I think even as a wicketkeeper, you still have plenty to do. I was just trying to keep things simple. It was a very good wicket to bat on, and we wanted to restrict them under 230, but couldn’t.
(On handing captaincy back to Pat Cummins) It was quite funny leading the side for seven games and then having Pat Cummins return. I was very happy he was coming back because he’s a tremendous captain. I could focus more on my batting, wicketkeeping, and my own game.
(On success) You just have to keep watching the ball and play your shots. You can’t go into a zone where you fear failure or doubt yourself. Jofra Archer’s first ball was nasty - very quick and bounced more than I expected. But I was happy to get six runs from it. Sometimes fortune favours the brave. You just keep watching the ball and keep going.
(On chasing 228) We were pretty calm. The most important thing when chasing 228 is to have a good Powerplay. With Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma opening, they make the job easier for the rest of the batters, even if they only bat four overs. I was communicating with Abhishek. He was well aware of the game situation and run rate, while I focused on playing my shots. We built a great partnership.
(On where calmness comes from in big chases) Calmness comes from being in a good headspace. The skill set is already there. You just watch the ball and don’t be predetermined with your shots. It was a big ground, so there were always gaps available. If the boundary ball wasn’t there, you could still push into gaps and keep the run rate moving.
(On whether this is the best batting of his career) No. My best is yet to come.”