'I Was Really In Shock': Ishan Kishan Reveals Unexpected Gesture Of Brian Lara
After India won the third ODI and the series against the West Indies on August 1, fanboys Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill had the chance to meet and talk with the famous Brian Lara at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.
Ishan and Shubman had an emotional conversation with the renowned cricketer, during which they expressed their continued adoration for the Prince of Trinidad and received some helpful advice for aspiring West Indian players.
Ishan Kishan mentioned receiving an Instagram post from former West Indies captain Brian Lara in the video shared by the BCCI. Kishan said Lara's kind gesture will always be remembered.
After making three consecutive fifties in the ODI series and winning the Player of the Series Award, the left-handed batter admitted that he considered making a double century in the third ODI due to the favourable batting conditions.
In a historic first, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy hosted a men's One-Day International on Tuesday, and India thoroughly enjoyed themselves, scoring 351 runs and bowling out the West Indies for 151 to win the series.
What I've learned from others' experiences is invaluable to me. I've heard that you always batted till lunch, and if you were on the pitch, you'd then go to practise and return to bat after lunch. That's why I'm looking to you, Lara," Ishan said.
And I'll admit, I was taken aback the first time you sent me an Instagram direct message; I was wondering why you were texting me. He continued, "I was ecstatic that such a gaming legend had texted me.
It meant a lot to me to perform here where your name is prominently displayed. I'm a huge fan of highlight reels and have seen your innings, so I know you used to play well and hit some serious shots. And I'm glad to have the opportunity to perform here," he continued. Leading scorer Shubman Gill (85 runs) talked about how Brian Lara motivated him to crush the bowlers.
My only recollection of him is of him crushing bowlers or challenging bowlers. I remember him as one of those players who, especially in red ball, would charge the bowlers and accept the challenge from the very first delivery. And that really motivated me to be the best player I could be as a youngster, across all genres," he continued.
Many baseball fans rank Brian Lara among the sport's all-time greats at the plate. The renowned West Indies batsman also expressed his admiration for promising young Indian batsmen, stating that India has always felt like a second home to him.
Actually, I feel very much at home in India. I've always had a fascination with India's young cricket talent. This Indian team, and the numerous other teams at their disposal, has enough potential to field a second XI and possibly even a third XI. Just seeing these guys here at the academy, competing on an international level, makes me incredibly proud.