Indian cricket is replete with talented youngsters falling by the wayside after a promising start at the Under-19s. Take Ajitesh Argal, for example. The Man of the Final in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup has played just 10 first-class matches in eight seasons. Saurabh Netrawalkar, who played in the 2010 edition, faded away after just one first-class game.
Even at that level, there are expectations, and Ishan Kishan, who led India at the Junior World Cup earlier this year, realises that. He also knows why it is important to quickly step out of those shoes in a bid to have a rewarding career. If his still young first-class career is anything to go by, there is every chance that Kishan will buck the trend of many youngsters being lost after making a splash at age-group cricket.
With 633 runs in eight matches in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, Kishan has an opportunity to convert a good season into a memorable one should he play a key role for Jharkhand, the Group B toppers, in the quarter-finals.
Kishan's unswerving willingness to learn stands out. Watching him bat gives the idea why he is highly regarded in the domestic circuit already. His batting, while destructive, is also full of grace. He is fleet-footed and bold in stepping out to spinners. His hands are quick and make a swift motion, much like a boxer's jab. The transfer of weight from one foot to the other is fluid, which helps him get in position early, and the bat swoops down into a lovely follow-through.
That Kishan has great things in store for him in the future is evident from the way his team-mates talk about him. If there were any doubts, they were put to rest when he struck the highest individual score in Jharkhand's history, against Delhi in Thumba last month. To put Kishan's innings in perspective, he scored 273 out of Jharkhand's 493. Delhi responded with 334 and were made to follow-on - enough to indicate that Kishan's runs weren't exactly easy pickings.
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Kishan's game at an early age wasn't shaped under the most ideal circumstances. Growing up as a budding cricketer in Bihar wasn't easy. With the Bihar Cricket Association losing its affiliation to the BCCI, Kishan was reduced to playing associate tournaments. He was in the wilderness for a year, before moving to Jharkhand upon the recommendation of a senior, and started playing for SAIL (Steel Authority of India) Sports Club.
Days after he had made the shift, an open trial for the Under-16 team came about. As luck would have it, the initial batch of Under-16s had all become overage. Kishan succeeded in the trials and made the state team. From there, the progression has been methodical. But it was the time he spent at SAIL, that prepared him for the challenges ahead.
"When I was staying in SAIL, I was living all alone and I couldn't cook or do anything," he tells ESPNcricinfo. "I had never done any of these things till then. So initially, it was a bit of a struggle, but later, I was able to manage. That helped me become more responsible."
Before long, Kishan was making a solid case for a debut with the senior team through consistent performances in the age-group formats and inter-district matches. At 16, he made his first-class debut against Assam in December 2014, and struck 60, which wasn't a bad score on debut. But problems began when it soon became a season of 40s and 60s. By the end of his debut season, Kishan had 451 runs, but not a single century.
"That year, I was facing so many problems," he remembers. "My grip wasn't alright. It was a period when I used to hold the bat and feel like something was going to go wrong in this ball. I couldn't understand why. Now, when I look back, I realise that it had to do with the mindset. Now, I play with my mind; skill comes later. Those days, I didn't know all this. I used to bat, have fun and get out. Later, I realised the importance of the runs I missed out on."
The pattern continued in the next season. In his first three matches, Kishan had two ducks and two half-centuries. The wait for the century ended in the fourth match when he scored 109 in the first innings against Jammu & Kashmir, which also turned out to be his last match of the season as preparations for the Under-19 World Cup got underway.
This year, he has taken his game to the next level, scoring a century on each of the three occasions he has reached fifty. The difference has come about due to two reasons - one physical and one tactical. After it was pointed out to him that a loss of concentration due to fatigue was resulting in him playing rough shots once he crossed the 80-run mark, Kishan worked on improving his fitness. The second was a move down the order.
"I used to open after having kept wickets for 120 or 150 overs. And then, within 10 minutes, to take off the tape and before you can get the feeling back in your hands, you have to go out and open when your body and eyes are tired. So I spoke to Rajiv (Kumar, the coach) sir and requested him to push me lower down and he agreed."
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As a wicketkeeper who also bats left-handed and opens the innings, Kishan grew up a fan of Adam Gilchrist. But he found other heroes as the years passed by. Being from the same state, he became a natural fan of MS Dhoni. From the current crop, he looks up to David Warner and Virat Kohli.
His desire to meet Dhoni was gratified when the India limited-overs captain turned out for Jharkhand in the 2015-16 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Though Kishan played in only one match, the tournament gave him the chance to pick Dhoni's brains. "At that time, I was named captain of the Under-19 World Cup team. So anytime he made a change on the field, I asked him about it and learned about setting fields for different bowlers," he gushes.
Personally, Kishan's tournament was a drab one as he scored just 73 runs in six innings despite opening the innings. But the journey as a team was indelible with India making the final. But more than anything, Kishan remembers the time in Bangladesh for a specific reason.
"I remember the time spent learning from Dravid sir. When our World Cup got over, he told me that I have to decide if I want to play only the IPL and Ranji or if I want to play for India and get the Test cap. He told me to improve my footwork and explained the importance of coming either entirely forward or going right back to use the depth of the crease. That has helped me. I am not shaky when I am batting anymore. He had a lot of hope on me and inculcated the discipline of taking what I do in the nets into the match and avoid trying something different there."
Despite the poor returns, Kishan was picked by Gujarat Lions for Rs 35 lakhs at the IPL auction. His fearlessness surfaced when he imperiously pulled Mitchell Johnson in front of square for his first boundary. The debut lasted all of eight deliveries, but that one shot invoked awe from those who watched him bat that day.
Kishan had a limp IPL season, coming out at No. 6 or lower, and ended up with 42 runs in five matches. Besides, he wasn't being used in his primary role - wicketkeeping. With the current crop ageing, India could soon go into a hunt for their next keeper, and there could be many more valuable opportunities for Kishan.
"I think it's his fearlessness that makes him stand out," Shitanshu Kotak , who closely worked with Kishan in the Lions team, says. "Last year, against Saurashtra in Rajkot, he scored some 90-odd runs in the first session. Even on a turning track, he struck eight sixes. That was the first time I saw him.
"He has got that ability to play strokes and score runs. And it's not as though he hits any ball. His shot selection is excellent. The one area he needs to work on is playing good fast bowlers on helpful wickets. He can be more compact. Outside of his batting, he's hardworking too. When he realised Dinesh Karthik will be the one keeping wickets for us in the IPL, he worked on his fielding and improved. He came up and asked for fielding practice himself, which is a great sign."
Kishan's career is still at a very nascent stage. The early signs have been good. Whether they translate into consistent success or Kishan becomes another one of those unfulfilled talents, only time will tell. But given the right guidance and opportunity, this promises to be one thrilling ride.