Ishan was a toughie even as a kid

Uttam Mazumdar (L) and Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan, who on Saturday joined the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma in India's ODI double tons club, has made people who helped him become one of most exciting batsmen on show, mighty proud.

That group includes his childhood Uttam Mazumdar.

Kishan's father Pranavkumar Pande took his five-year-old son to Mazumdar's nets in Delhi and the rest, as they say, is history. Mazumdar used to call Kishan Chotu in his initial days with him but now it's Ishu. Kishan's elder brother Raj too was Mazumdar's student, but according to the dedicated coach, he gave up cricket to pursue medicine. The coach said Kishan's father wanted one son to pursue cricket and another to excel in academics.

Excerpts from an interview with coach Mazumdar:

On his advice to Ishan during the last couple of years when his place in the Indian ODI and T20 team was not secure:
I have always told him to be positive,not to get disappointed and grab the opportunity when it comes his way.

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On the time when he saw a five-year-old Kishan at the nets:
I bowled only five balls to him in the nets. But that was enough! I told his father that one day Kishan will play for India. Ishan was very determined and fearless from Day One. When he was only six, I played him in an U-14 tournament. After scoring nine or 10 runs, he was hit on the face by a rising delivery. I took him to hospital on a scooter with his father. My t'shirt was soaked in blood while I carrying him to the hospital. He had 5-6 stitches on his face. When doctor was stitching the cut, he did not cry. That's not all. More surprises were in store. He returned to the ground. After a while when I looked around, Ishan was getting ready to bat again!

About Kishan's nature:
He is very down to earth and friendly. He is happy when playing with children. I was really moved when Ishan dedicated his first man of the match award (56 runs of 34 balls on his T20I debut against England at Ahmedabad in 2021) to my late father with whom he was emotionally attached.

Food preferences:
Ishan loves to eat home-cooked kebabs whenever he comes to my house. He also has a sweet tooth and relishes rasgullas, but due to his diet he cannot eat them often.

On his ideal birthday gift from Kishan:
I consider his recent double century against Bangladesh as my best ever gift for my December 7 birthday.