Just focusing on my job' - Ishan Kishan unfazed by No. 3 talk

"I don't focus on what's happening outside" — Kishan on batting at No. 3. Mindset He's blocking out external talk, criticism, and speculation about the No. 3 spot. His focus is only on doing his job for the team. Kishan is taking ownership of the No. 3 position and isn't getting distracted by what people are saying around it. Kishan is backing himself to deliver at No. 3 by keeping his head down and concentrating on performance, not the chatter outside. Walking in after India slipped to 29 for 2 inside the first three overs, Kishan struck 81 off 44 balls and added 66 with captain Shreyas Iyer before Tilak Varma's unbeaten 60 off 29 balls powered India to 219 for 5. Zimbabwe were then bowled out for 129 in 17.5 overs as India wrapped up the series 2-0 with a game to spare. "As a batter who's batting at No. 3, your job is to watch the ball and play your natural game. You also have to understand the wicket," Kishan said after being named Player of the Match. "There were a lot of thoughts going on whether we wanted to end up getting 250 or 230, or whether the wicket was just about getting 170 to 180 runs. So we had that in mind when Shreyas Iyer came in. We wanted to build a partnership and take the innings deep. I think we executed it in a very good manner." Kishan stressed that his role at No. 3 differs from that of India's aggressive opening pair, insisting he does not concern himself with outside perceptions of how he should bat. Kishan said he’s tuning out the outside noise. "I don't give so much focus on what's happening outside. I know the way I have to play." His focus is on reading the situation in the moment: If early wickets fall, it’s about deciding whether to attack or build a partnership Reading the wicket and conditions instead of comparing himself to others "As a No. 3 batter... you need to understand what's important. Do you keep taking chances or do you build a partnership? Is it easy to hit? You need to understand the wicket and play accordingly." "It's obviously very difficult," he said. "You play so many matches in England. We've started from Ireland and suddenly then we got here to Zimbabwe and next day we were playing a match. "It's never easy for an athlete. You want to give 100 per cent every time you play and you don't want to compromise it at any cost. We don't have any choice other than just taking time for your recovery and just going ahead in the next game, giving your 100 per cent. So it was about getting good sleep and good food before the next game. "Now it's just about recovering well because playing back-to-back games is never easy, especially for the bowlers." Kishan is embracing the responsibility at No. 3 with a situational, team-first mindset, while also managing the fatigue of a non-stop international calendar.