Ishan Kishan reminisces about his watershed season

From the same stable as MS Dhoni, wicket-keeper and swashbuckling left-hander Ishan Kishan helped Jharkhand into their maiden Ranji Trophy semi-final with a 61-ball 86 against Haryana. Reminiscing about an incredible season, during which he racked up 719 runs, but prudently focusing on the match against Gujarat, Ishan spoke to Sportskeeda.

Here are the excerpts of the interview:

Q: How are Ishan Kishan and Jharkhand approaching the semi-final against Gujarat?

Ishan: First and foremost, it is our maiden semi-final, it is a very important time for us, and it is a big deal having come this far. It is never easy, so our focus has been to ensure that we don’t get carried away or lose concentration at this crucial juncture. We are working even harder on our strengths, we don’t want to leave any stone unturned, and don’t want to regret anything later.

Q: Who should be credited for Jharkhand’s success this year?

Ishan: Credit goes to the entire team, it was not the work of an individual. We have all worked hard collectively, whether it be on fitness or skills. Of course, we have had great and consistent support from Amitabh Choudary (JSCA president), Rajiv Kumar Raja (Jharkhand coach), and even Dhoni sir (MS Dhoni), who has been guiding the young players throughout.

Q: Are you targeting a Gujarat player in particular?

Ishan: Gujarat have had a tremendous season, especially someone like Priyank Panchal (highest run-getter this season), so his wicket will be crucial. But even in the event that we dismiss him early, we cannot afford to rest, we have to sustain the intensity.

Q: You have shuffled up and down the batting order ever since your First-Class debut, even this season...

Ishan: It is not easy to keep wickets for 120 overs and then turn up to open the innings after a mere ten-minute interval, so I spoke to the team management about this and made the move down the order. But I am still willing to do it (open) when the team and the situation demand so, as I did in the second innings of the quarter-final against Haryana.

Even against Vidharbha, we were required to score quickly in the second innings for an outright win, and being an attacking batsman, I was elevated up the order. But the pitch was very poor, so as soon as we lost a couple of wickets, we shut shop.

Q: Where do you see yourself batting in the long-run?

Ishan: In the longer format, I would obviously prefer continuing to bat in the middle order, but in shorter forms of the game, I am very comfortable keeping wickets and opening the innings as well.

Q: You shared the dressing room with Rishabh Pant during the Under-19 World Cup and you’ve both had phenomenal domestic seasons. How would you describe your relationship with him?

Ishan: We are very good friends, we make it a point to talk to each other before games and help each other out, since we are both young, wicket-keepers and naturally attacking batsmen.

Q: In the last four matches you have kept wickets only twice. What’s the story?

Ishan: I had injured the index finger on my left hand before the match against Saurashtra. I kept wickets till lunch but the pain was unbearable thereafter, so I spoke to the management and Sumit Kumar took over. Since then the idea has been to protect the injured finger as much as possible, and avoid aggravating the injury as it could hamper my batting, hence both Sumit and I have shared the burden behind the stumps in the last four matches.

Q: What is your take on playing at neutral venues this year?

Ishan: Personally, I am happy with the system, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially because the pitches are not prepared to suit a particular team, rendering the contest a level playing field. While the travelling can get a little hectic, I am happy with this arrangement.

Q: Individually, what’s your greatest takeaway from this season?

Ishan: The innings against Karnataka (159 off 211 balls) gave me a lot of confidence. I have never been in a better space as a batsman as I was during that innings. Then in the match against Delhi (273 off 336 balls), we were in trouble at 80 for four and I was able to not only rescue but put my team in a position of strength from that pressure situation.

Q: An aspect of your game that you think requires a little work?

Ishan: I am still aiming for more consistency, that is my primary objective going forward. Also, I have been working on my footwork after speaking to Rahul sir (Rahul Dravid) during the Under-19 World Cup, especially against the moving ball. I have made minor changes to my stance as well, in consultation with our coach Rajiv Kumar Raja. I have reaped its benefits this season.