Ishan Kishan has forced his way back into the spotlight with performances that demand attention. He led Jharkhand to a historic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, finishing the final with a commanding century that underlined his leadership and form, and helped him earn a recall to India’s T20I squad for the T20 World Cup. Kishan then carried that momentum into the Vijay Hazare Trophy, unleashing a breathtaking 125 off just 39 balls and reaching his hundred in only 33 deliveries. His onslaught, however, proved bittersweet as Jharkhand went down despite piling up a massive 412 for 9.
Veteran India spinner Harbhajan Singh reflected on spotting Kishan’s special talent long before the spotlight followed him. Recalling an exhibition match in Mumbai, Harbhajan shared a vivid memory that highlighted Kishan’s fearless approach, sharp game sense and ability to outthink bowlers, despite his small frame.
“He’s (Ishan) small in stature, but he hits such big shots. I had already recognized his talent earlier. I had come to play a match with him once. I remember it clearly, it was an exhibition match in Mumbai. I was bowling. I bowled one ball a little slower, and he played it slightly late towards the covers. The next ball he went down on one knee and hit it for a four there. Then I said to myself, okay, now I won’t bowl slow to him, I’ll bowl fast. I bowled a fast delivery. The ball was a bit wet. But the moment the ball left my hand, he went down and played a reverse sweep. I remember that very clearly,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.
“Ishan Kishan plays with great maturity”
Continuing his praise, Harbhajan highlighted the rarity of Kishan’s skill by drawing a striking comparison with Kevin Pietersen. He recalled how even Pietersen hadn’t played him with such audacity, hailing Kishan as a special talent and expressing his happiness at seeing the powerful, mature youngster back in the Indian setup.
“I said, this guy is an amazing player. I mean, even Kevin Pietersen didn’t hit me like that with a reverse switch hit the way this young boy did. I said, this is a special talent. After that, recently he wasn’t in the team, but as I said, I’m really happy to see him back in the side because he has a lot of power. He is a very, very strong player. He’s young, but he plays with great maturity,” he added.
