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The wicketkeeper-batsman of the Indian national cricket team has scored a record-breaking century in the ongoing second ODI against the Afghanistan national cricket team in Lucknow. With this inning, fans feel that Ishan Kishan has almost ended Rishabh Pant’s ODI career.
Rishabh Pant has already lost his place in all formats, and now Ishan’s stellar form has taken him out of the race, especially with the ICC World Cup 2027 approaching. Not only Pant, Ishan Kishan has also put KL Rahul’s place in the ODI team in danger.
Ishan Kishan hits record century in Lucknow
In the ongoing three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, Ishan Kishan is being preferred as the wicketkeeper-batsman, and he has grabbed the opportunity with both hands. After scoring 34 runs in Dharamshala, the Indian star made a brilliant comeback in the second ODI in Lucknow.
Ishan scored the third fastest ODI century against Afghanistan. This was his second ODI century which came off 71 balls in Lucknow. The left-handed batsman completed his century in spectacular style and reached three points by hitting a brilliant boundary on the offside against Bilal Sami.
After completing the milestone, Kishan celebrated by raising his bat and taking off his helmet and the Lucknow crowd and the player applauded his effort. India captain Shubman Gill came forward to congratulate Ishan and shared a warm hug with his batting partner.
The way Kishan increased the pace was really impressive. He brought up his half-century in 52 balls, but then changed gears completely, scoring the next 53 runs in just 19 balls on his way to a brilliant century against Afghanistan in the ongoing 2nd ODI in Lucknow.
Here is how fans reacted to Ishan Kishan’s brilliant century in Lucknow:
It looks like Ishan Kishan is the first choice WK batsman for the 2027 CWC and KL Rahul will play as the batsman.
Rishabh Pant’s journey in ODI and T20 is over.
Great comeback innings from Kishan. #INDvsAFG #IshanKishan pic.twitter.com/UawcHtptTW
— Cricket signature! (@BabajiSutar3) June 17, 2026
Both are left handed..Both are aggressive..Both are wicketkeepers but looking at the range of strokes, fitness and shape of Ishan Kishan..I must say that he has overtaken Rishabh Pant in white ball cricket 😊🏅 https://t.co/yx95FXawwE
– Cricketo (@saffroncareers) June 17, 2026
I don’t think anyone would have thought during the 2016 U19 WC that Ishan Kishan would play more World Cup than Rishabh Pant.
– Manas (@manas__3) June 17, 2026
Kishan cost Pant’s ODI career – and honestly, he deserves it
– S (@shivvamm8) June 17, 2026
Raised arms, big smiles, memorable celebrations 🥳
Ishan Kishan, bow down! 🙇
Update ▶️ https://t.co/JYJ5l44iJ6#TeamIndia | #INDvAFG | @IDFCFIRSTBANK | @ishaankishan51 pic.twitter.com/bP9vICKnE2
– BCCI (@BCCI) June 17, 2026
💥Ishan Kishan is gone! 🔥
Century in just 71 balls! 💯✓
The explosive keeper batsman lit up the stadium with a sensational century. 🥶🇮🇳
Absolutely crazy. This is Shikhar Ishan Kishan! 🚀
Who else is liking this knock? 👀 pic.twitter.com/locPwL9gFN
– Bhavesh Gujarati (@BhaveshLiveLife) June 17, 2026
Return to T20i team. ✅
– Selected for T20 World Cup. ✅
-Rule the T20 World Cup. ✅
– Won the T20 World Cup. ✅
– Returned to the ODI team. ✅
– Making the ODI team the boss. ✅Ishan Kishan is invincible in 2026. 🔥#AFGvsIND pic.twitter.com/f4Q2Ezkomg
– Sandeep Kumar (@chill_guys22) June 17, 2026
Ishan Kishan completed his second ODI century in just 71 balls.
A breathtaking display of power, accuracy and fearless strokeplay, a knock that underlines his immense talent and match-winning ability.🔥💙 pic.twitter.com/LBngTIlC90
– Vishal Yadav (@CricVishalyadav) June 17, 2026
See Gautam Gambhir’s reaction
Gambhir has got Ishan Kishan’s trump card for the 2027 World Cup. pic.twitter.com/k3DmwMq1fi
– Raja (@_raja_kumar) June 17, 2026
Brother, what a performance Ishaan Kishan has given, comeback number one. Have fun brother, Aagya Bande was thrown out from everywhere, today he has confirmed his place in both T-20 and ODI, BSA test is still left.
– Karan 🇮🇳 (@karanchopra1900) June 17, 2026
🚨Ishan Kishan is truly an inspiration for everyone.
He was dropped from the Indian team in 2023 and then he worked hard in domestic cricket and forced the selectors to pick him again.
Now he is continuously scoring runs for India in every match.
pic.twitter.com/zoBv5CzZIP– Indian Cricket Ministry (@Tejashyyyyyy) June 17, 2026
The redemption arc is complete. 👑
🗓️ January 2026: First T20 century vs New Zealand.
🗓️ June 2026: Match-winning ODI century vs AFG.Ishan Kishan is not just back – he has evolved. Aggression, maturity, hunger. Ishaan 2.0 is a different beast altogether! 🔥🏏 pic.twitter.com/22SFHGTObj
-Hemant Bhavsar (@hemantbhansar86) June 17, 2026
Always grateful to Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh for attending Ishan Kishan’s domestic games and bringing him back into the Indian setup when Ajit Agarkar had dropped him from all formats at such a young age when Ishan was already performing so well.
Ishan Kishan is going to rule all formats♥️ pic.twitter.com/kvjKjmEdgk
– Rajeev (@Rajeev1841) June 17, 2026
That’s why Kohli is coming to the England series, GG has to make room for him so he can’t remove captain Gill, Iyer is your VC, KL is your number 5, Ishan Kishan is performing brilliantly.
So who do I think will be out😭😭 pic.twitter.com/TFObMspQJK
– critalker (@KohlixIconic) June 17, 2026
Stormy innings by Ishan Kishan in Ekana Lucknow, first 50 runs on 52 balls, next 53 runs on 19 balls. After returning to international cricket, he was the special beast man of the match-winning innings against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup and then in the final. #imdvsafg pic.twitter.com/NkcLKIb7Oa
– Akhil (@Akhil25696223) June 17, 2026
I like Ishan Kishan very much and I want him to play for India.
He is a promising WK batsman, and it was tough to see him out of the team for almost two years despite performing well in the opportunities he got.
I still believe he can be a long-term wicketkeeping option for India…
-Vihaan. (@Vihaann96) June 17, 2026
Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan created history by making a record-breaking partnership against Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill, who also scored a century in Lucknow, and Ishan Kishan created history with a sensational partnership against Afghanistan in the second ODI in Lucknow. The Indian pair made a big partnership of 224 runs for the third wicket and completely dominated the Afghan bowlers.
This is now the joint second highest partnership against Afghanistan in ODI cricket history. The 260-run partnership between David Warner and Steve Smith for Australia in 2015 tops the charts. Gill and Kishan’s 224-run opening partnership has equaled the 224-run opening partnership shared by Zimbabwe’s Hamilton Masakadza and Sikandar Raza against Afghanistan in 2014.
Gill and Ishaan not only scored a lot of runs but also scored runs at a very fast pace. Their 224-run partnership came in just 140 balls at a run rate of 9.60 runs per over, making it one of India’s fastest 200-plus partnerships in ODI cricket.
Only the 208-run partnership between Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul against the Netherlands during the 2023 ODI World Cup had a faster scoring rate for India. These runs came at the rate of 9.82 runs per over.
The explosive partnership of Gill and Kishan has now overtaken the famous 290-run partnership between Ishan and Virat Kohli against Bangladesh in 2022 in terms of scoring rate. He scored 9.15 runs per over.
