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One of the shining stars for Mumbai Indians in their successful Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 campaign was Ishan Kishan.
The left-handed batsman scored 516 runs in 14 matches and remained not out on 33 in the final against Delhi Capitals as his team chased down the target of 157 with eight balls to spare.
"I wasn't looking in good shape at the start of this season, so I had a good chat with Hardik (Pandya) bhai and Krunal (Pandya) bhai. I wanted to work on my fitness, just keep working on my off-side game," said Kishan.
"I wanted to do what was good for the team with the bat and score big runs."
His performance has earned him praise from former cricket stars.
Kishan's runs came at an impressive strike rate of 145.76 and an average of 57.33. He smashed 30 sixes, the most by a batsman this year.
Following his heroics, former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh tweeted: "Ishan Kishan special, very special player in the making."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan lauded Ishan for playing multiple roles - having the skill to bat well at the top and settle to plunder the big shots later in the middle-order.
Vaughan said: "What I like about him is the way he can play different roles. He can go to the top, he can manoeuvre himself around the middle - and this will give him a lot of longevity."
Impressively, Kishan contributed from different positions in the batting order, reflecting his adaptability to different roles.
At No. 4 with his side teetering on 16 for 2 in pursuit of 201 against Royal Challengers Bangalore, he responded with 99 off 58 deliveries.
As an opener against Chennai Super Kings, he scored an unbeaten 68 off 37 balls. He then played the death-over destroyer role with his 55 not out off 30 balls against Delhi Capitals in the first qualifier.
Toning down aggression has been the marked difference in his game, observed close friend and Jharkhand teammate Ishank Jaggi: "Earlier he used to try and hit from the first ball. Many times, the result didn't go in his favour. Now he takes his time, takes 10-15 balls to settle.
"He has understood that the more time he spends at the crease, the better he will do."
It's an aspect of the game Kishan has picked up from watching Mumbai stalwarts Kieron Pollard and Hardik.
"I know how they plan the game. It's just not only about power, (but also) how they take the game to the last over and put pressure on the bowlers, also at the same time how they rotate the strike," Kishan said.
The 22-year-old has also developed a sense of fearlessness, which was not the case in the first season when he stood starstruck in the dressing room.
Vaughan said: "He can play a few different roles, and that's what franchise owners, captains, coaches really want in the squad - players who can manoeuvre themselves in different situations. "He's got a lovely bat swing. When he starts to find his confidence and his mojo, he's got a lovely swing of the bat."
Unlike some of his former national Under-19 teammates such as Rishabh Pant, Khaleel Ahmed and Washington Sundar, Kishan is yet to earn a call-up to the senior national team.
But it looks like a call is just around the corner. The southpaw has been performing consistently in the domestic circuit and his performance in IPL 2020 has further enhanced his reputation.
Indo-Asian News Service
