Introduction

Indian cricket has been blessed with several young talents who have gone on to become some of the greatest players in the world. Among these is the young wicket-keeper batsman, Ishan Kishan. Kishan has been a revelation since his IPL debut in 2016, and his journey from an Under-19 captain to a star player for the Mumbai Indians and Team India has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Career Brief

Ishan Kishan first led India at the Under-19 World Cup in 2016 in Bangladesh. He made his first-class debut for Jharkhand in December of the same year, and went on to score a century and five half-centuries in his first ten first-class matches.

IPL Career through the Years

After his impressive domestic performances, Ishan Kishan was picked up by the now-defunct Gujarat Lions in 2017, where he impressed with his big-hitting skills. In 2018, he was bought by the Mumbai Indians for Rs. 6.2 crores. Though his form for Mumbai Indians was a rollercoaster ride, the franchise retained his service for IPL 2022 by spending Rs. 15.25 crores, the highest pay of the season.

Team India Debut and ODI Double Hundred

Kishan made his debut for India in the T20I format in March 2022, before going on to make his ODI debut in June. He was the back-up option to Rishabh Pant, the first-choice keeper. Kishan's moment of glory came in December 2022, against Bangladesh in the 3rd ODI in Chhattisgarh, when he became the youngest batter to score a double hundred in ODIs at the age of 24 years and 145 days.

The Technique and Technical Shortcomings

Ishan Kishan is a diminutive but aggressive batter who likes to open the batting across formats. He prefers the on side, particularly the midwicket region, as a left-hander. He uses the top handle to his advantage to cut anything outside the off-stump with tremendous power and also has the capacity to flick it off his pads. However, he has had problems against the bouncing ball due to extra pace, and has a bad habit of throwing away his wicket once he's set. These two issues, when combined, can prove fatal to his career, as he will be exposed to quality fast bowling in conditions like South Africa, Australia, and England.

Conclusion

Ishan Kishan's journey from an Under-19 captain to Team India's pocket dynamite has been remarkable. He has already achieved so much at such a young age, and has the potential to become one of India's greatest cricketers. However, he needs to work on his technical shortcomings to become a more complete player and secure his spot across formats.