Ishan Kishan kept up his hot streak on Thursday when he scored 135 runs for Jharkhand against Kerala in the current Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match. It happened just one week after the flashy left-hand opener’s scorching 210-run innings off 131 balls against Bangladesh in the just-completed ODI series.
Ishan Pandey’s father Pranav Kumar Pandey provided him some wise counsel after the magnificent double-century. He advised Ishan to take each inning as it came and not allow the double-digit score get to him. “Jab century maarta hai main jyada kuch nahi bolta, puri duniya se shabaashi mil rahi hoti hai (When he scores runs, I don’t say much to him because he receives the congratulatory message from everyone),” Pranav Kumar told the Indian Express. “He called me after the match and I told him ‘next match you will again start from zero. Don’t let this double hundred get into your head,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kishan’s father said that he was disappointed with the T20 World Cup 2022 omission. However, he supported his son through the tough times like a rock and helped him forge a more resilient mindset. “He was dejected, he was tense and I have never seen him like that ever. He is a fun-loving kid but when he was not picked, he was sad. At home, he would not sleep, he would walk on the terrace at night,” his father said.
“So, one day, I sat him down and told him to stop feeling sorry for yourself. From now onwards, your job should be to make sure that they don’t get an excuse to drop you. Let your bat do the talking, you are still very young, there is a 50 over World Cup next year, prepare for that and make all the opportunities count,” he added. Ishan, 24, will be eager to keep up his strong play in the IPL 2023 to aid Mumbai Indians in recovering from a losing season. In the run-up to the 2024 World Cup, his momentum may help him secure a berth in India’s T20 squad.
