Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan disclosed that instead of dwelling on his nearly two-year hiatus from the Indian team, he concentrated on honing his skills to become more consistent.
After a stellar domestic season in which he led Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph and scored more than 500 runs, Kishan was called back to Team India earlier this year for the T20I series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup.
“When I wasn’t playing and was out of the team, I told myself I can’t cry or sulk about it. It’s the easiest thing to do for any sportsman. It might earn you the sympathy of a few people, you might even feel good about it, but it won’t get you anywhere,” PTI quoted Ishan, the Sunrisers Hyderabad player, telling JioHotstar.
“The only thing that could have gotten me back into the reckoning was runs. So I just wanted to improve my game and score as many runs as I could, even if that meant hitting more sixes than any other batter.”
He continued by saying that his time away from the national team increased his devotion to the game, which resulted in a significant amount of domestic runs.
“Only consistent run-scoring can bring you back into the team. If 300 runs in a season are not enough, score 400; if not that, score 500. At the end of the day, cricket is our daily bread. When you’re out of the team you understand its importance and start respecting every game. You become hungrier, and that was my focus: to become the best,” added Ishan.
Ishan discussed his attitude at the pivotal No. 3 slot, saying that years of batting there had given him the self-assurance to bat deep and pace an innings.
In the IPL match in Jaipur on Saturday, Sunrisers Hyderabad easily chased down an imposing 228/6 set by Rajasthan Royals thanks to his scorching 31-ball 74 when he arrived at his usual spot.
“After having played for so many years as a No. 3 batter, if you are set, you look to score big and bat till the end. It makes the job easier for the other batters with you, as they don’t feel the pressure. That is my only thinking, to keep things as simple as I can, be in a good headspace, and just take it one match at a time. If we play good cricket, the rest of the team will learn from it.
“In the end, it’s a team sport. When you play good cricket, it rubs off on the others. I have also made a lot of mistakes, so my only aim is not to repeat them, which unfortunately, I did in the end in this game,” he added.
Ishan Kishan also spoke with teenage batting phenom Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the game, informing him about the aura he already commands among opponents and even how other teams intentionally target his wicket.
Even though Sooryavanshi smashed a 37-ball 103, SRH was still able to chase down Rajasthan Royals’ enormous score.
“I was just telling him about the madness with which he is batting and how he is hitting. Sometimes, you are even scared thinking about what the scorecard could have looked if he had stayed for a few more overs.
“So, it was important for us to get his wicket. It was 228, it could have easily been 258. Cricket is all about comebacks. We got him out and made a little comeback there. That’s what I told him, ‘When I am playing against you, please go a little easy on my team. I know all your secrets and inside stories’,” joked Ishan.
Sooryavanshi was also praised by former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif, who said the young player might become the nation’s next “superstar” and bats like a seasoned professional.
“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a once-in-a-generation talent. He is a fearless prodigy who’s dominating the IPL like he is playing gully cricket. Two hundreds in two seasons, both at a strike-rate above 250. He bats like a veteran who has played international cricket for 10 years.
“His ability to pick the length early, his balance at the crease, and his raw power are all world-class. He also has a calm head on his young shoulders. That is a rare combination. If he stays fit, stays hungry, and keeps his focus, Indian cricket has found its next superstar for the next 20 to 25 years,” said Kaif.
