Ishan Kishan’s childhood coach Uttam Mazumdar believes the Jharkhand batter can have the same kind of impact on Test cricket that Virender Sehwag once did.
Kishan’s story so far
Kishan made his Test debut against the West Indies in July 2023 and played two matches in the series. Strong domestic performances have since brought him back into India’s white-ball setup, and he is currently captaining East Zone in the Duleep Trophy.
He is already one of India’s most destructive limited-overs batters. In December 2022 he scored 210 against Bangladesh, becoming the fourth Indian man to make an ODI double century after Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma.
Why the Sehwag comparison
Mazumdar called Kishan a T20 world champion and a proven match-winner, and said he will be the next Sehwag for India. He described Sehwag as the pioneer who changed how Test batting was viewed, and said Kishan has the ingredients to play in that fearless way.
Sehwag combined bold stroke-making with an attacking mindset, and Kishan’s ability to score quickly and pressure bowlers could make him an exciting Test option if another chance arrives.
Developing young talent
Mazumdar is also working with emerging players through the Indian Cricket Academy League (ICAL), which aims to build a structured pathway between academy and competitive cricket and give young cricketers more exposure. Registration is to be followed by trials and camps.
