Ishan Kishan says Rahul Dravid taught him about professionalism

Ishan Kishan is one of the most promising young wicketkeeper-batsmen in the country right now. The 17-year-old came into limelight when he led the Indian Under-19 team to the final of the Under-19 World Cup 2016 in Bangladesh. He played the event under the guidance of Indian batting legend Rahul Dravid.

In a recent interview, the Patna lad talked about the influence of Rahul Dravid in his game. He said, “I learnt a lot from Dravid... he taught me about professionalism. How to react on and off the field every time I play. I hope this will help me in the IPL as well as in future.”

Kishan’s game anticipation skills impressed the Indian Under-19 coach so much that he chose Kishan as the captain of the team. The left-handed batsman also featured in the recently concluded Indian Premier League for the newly formed franchise Gujarat Lions where he grabbed some eyeballs.

The wicketkeeper-batsman also talked about his experience in IPL. He said, “The IPL changed a lot of things in my life. It was a good platform for youngsters. You can show your cricketing abilities and prove yourself. I played my first IPL and it was a good experience but I still have a lot to learn.”

Kishan also represents the same state – Jharkhand – as the Indian limited overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and has also played alongside him. He said, “I got a chance to play alongside Dhoni in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this year. His tips helped me grow as a player.”

Touted as the next Virat Kohli of Indian cricket, the youngster has experienced the responsibilities of a captain from a fairly young age. The Patna-born cricketer was introduced to cricket by his elder brother. He said, “My brother used to play cricket as a professional and I was only there for fun.

"Coach Santosh Kumar saw me playing and then went to our father and told him that he was a good player and let him play and I was into cricket,”

When asked about how he would like to spend his time when he is done with cricket, Kishan promptly replied Travel. He said, “I would love to travel and I think every cricketer likes it... but right now I do not have time to travel and visit my favourite destinations. As of now, I am only travelling for cricket, let’s see what happens later.”