It’s a cliché in sports that the loudest of statements are not made from the mouth. A player’s performance speaks for him or her and often, he or she may not have to say anything. In cricket, runs made or wickets taken or catches held can be more eloquent. One need not have to be vocal.
Ishan Kishan put in that kind of a performance in the ongoing Duleep Trophy match. It was his first first-class outing in a long time and representing India C against India B, the left-handed batter made 111 in the first innings. It was a typically aggressive knock from the diminutive player from Jharkhand and the runs came when the team needed them.
Now, why wax eloquent about a century in a match where several others made half-centuries, in conditions not exactly challenging for the batters? That’s because of the situation Kishan found himself in. Admonished by the administration for neglecting red-ball cricket, not given an annual contract by the BCCI in spite of runs under his belt and rebuked for prioritising T20 commitments, he had to prove that he is good for the longest format as well.
This means there was pressure on him. Not just to show he is worthy for the red-ball challenges, Kishan had to appear in a test of temperament, adaptability and patience. Had he failed, there could have been smirks all around and snide remarks. His presence in first-class cricket would have been questioned. He had to succeed in this Duleep Trophy game. Not just to answer the questions raised against him but also to convince himself that he could do it.
Having got some runs in the Buchi Babu Trophy featuring four-day games just before the Duleep Trophy, Kishan had indicated that he was ready. Having not found a place in the XI in the first game, he made the chance count when it came in the second. The knock of 111 off 126 deliveries was yet another proof of his ability to score at a brisk pace and dominate the bowlers.
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The 26-year-old former India U-19 captain is still to be tested in conditions where the ball bounces or swings, but in the subcontinent, he can be a major force. Not without ability does one score a double century in ODIs. And that innings of 210 in Bangladesh came off 134 balls. Although he was dropped for the next match, he didn’t lose focus and made runs when given the opportunity.
Simultaneously, Kishan’s absence from Ranji Trophy games raised eyebrows. There was perhaps validity in assumptions that he was not taking those fixtures seriously. And he was made to pay the price. By not including him in the list of the centrally-contracted players, the BCCI sent a message that not everything was going to be tolerated. Kishan handled it well. He never said anything in public and decided to choose the path that sportspersons do — let performance speak.
Lessons learnt the hard way are the most valuable. Kishan is still learning. He probably made a mistake, paid the price and has begun the process of showing that he has learnt from that mistake. It’s a long season and one century will not count for a lot in the long run. But, he has started on the right note by making a silent statement.
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