New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) Ishan Kishan’s childhood coach, Uttam Mazumdar, said his words about the wicketkeeper-batter’s selection for the T20 World Cup have “turned into reality” following the 26-year-old’s inclusion in India’s squad for the mega event and T20I series against New Zealand.
Kishan, who topped the charts in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 517 runs and captained Jharkhand to the title, became a surprise replacement for Shubman Gill in India’s T20I squad.
Those stupendous performances, including hitting 101 in the final against Haryana, and the team management’s preference to have a back-up wicketkeeper-batter who could bat in the top order led to Kishan’s return to the national set-up.
Mazumdar revealed he had told Kishan during Jharkhand’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy knockouts campaign that a match-winning century in the final would secure his place in the World Cup squad, and he was glad that his student did exactly that.
“When the Jharkhand team qualified for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy knockouts, I told Ishan that, ‘You have made a lot many runs. But if you hit a hundred in the final and make the team win the trophy, it should put your name in that team for the World Cup’. It just came out of my mouth and I was literally manifesting that he has to be there in the team for the World Cup.
“He just did that and those words turned into reality today. It’s a matter of pride and a very big pleasure for all of us because he was out of the set-up for two years. But then the way he led Jharkhand and won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, we are very happy and everyone is happy,” Muzumdar told IANS from his Greater Noida academy at the SDRV School on Saturday.
Kishan’s last game for India was the third T20I against Australia at Guwahati in November 2023, before being out of reckoning after taking a mental health break and even losing his BCCI central contract. Muzumdar received news of Kishan’s return to the Indian team after starting a religious ceremony for him.
“After the news of his selection came, I got a call in the afternoon, informing me about this. I didn’t know of it before as I was busy with a puja since morning. We have organised a Bhagavad Gita paath for Ishan starting from today and it will go on for six days. It’s definitely divine intervention that he’s now in the World Cup squad,” he added.
Mazumdar feels the Kishan of 2025 has inner stillness and maturity as compared to his 2023 version, which reflects strongly in his recent consistent performances. “A theraav (stillness) has come now in Ishan. Plus, maturity, patience and focus have come within him, due to which there’s more consistency in his game.
“This is a very big thing because when there is consistency, stillness and determination in the game, everything starts to go well. It is a game of mindset and when that moves towards a very positive mindset at this level in the game, then a person’s worldview also changes. So, that same thing happened with Ishan.”
He has also backed Kishan to be an automatic selection in India’s playing eleven and open the batting alongside in-form Abhishek Sharma. “In all the competitions, Ishan has done very well. I don’t think the team management will be able to put Ishan out of the playing eleven because of the calibre he has. The Indian T20I team needs such an explosive player.
“In T20Is, the power play is very important. So, I think Ishan will be very fit as far as those things are concerned. The team management should give him a chance to open with Abhishek. The rest will be seen later as we can also play two keepers in the playing eleven. We do know the kind of keeping Ishan does,” added Muzumdar.
Amidst a joyful two days for him, Muzumdar revealed he will speak to Kishan later in the day. “I think I will talk to him only in the night. He was in Jharkhand for two days and had to meet the CM as well. The players were very happy because it was a historical win. It was a moment of wonder for a lifetime.
“All were uncapped players in the Jharkhand team and bringing all of them together to win the trophy as their captain, Ishan did that job really well. It was such a great achievement to win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, considering there are a lot of formidable teams. To beat all of them and win the final, it’s a very big achievement.”
Mazumdar still fondly remembers the time when at the Moinul Ul Haq Stadium in Patna, Pranav Pandey approached him with a request to take a seven year old Kishan under his wing, a moment that would mark the beginning of a brilliant cricketing journey which has seen tons of highs and lows.
Till date, Kishan maintains a ritual of seeking blessings of Muzumdar before playing big matches. Mazumdar, who fondly calls Kishan as ‘Ishu’, signed off by confidently affirming that the wicketkeeper-batter will have a big impact in India’s title defence in the T20 World Cup.
“I think Ishan has started a new journey. Even the Indian team needs explosive players like Ishan who can make the team win big games. With the zeal he has in him and consistency in his scores, I am witnessing a completely new version of Ishan.
“The way his performances have been, I am sure the team management will use it to the fullest during the New Zealand series and the World Cup. I really believe they will use Ishan in this Indian team in a very good way.”
–IANS
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