IPL Auction 2022: Three reasons why MI retaining Ishan Kishan is a good move
Five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) have been a force to be reckoned with over the years, arguably deemed the team to beat. They have had a plethora of superstars, both Indian and overseas, at their disposal. The MI think tank will have their task cut out with the player retention deadline looming soon.
That MI will look to retain skipper Rohit Sharma and ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah is all but a foregone conclusion. The retention of a third Indian player is a point of intrigue with a number of options at MI's disposal.
According to a report on Zee News, wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan is set to be the third retention for MI. The sole overseas retention will be West Indian limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard.
This means that the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya are set to enter the auction pool. This, of course, should either of the two new teams based out of Lucknow and Ahmedabad not pitch in and sign them prior to the mega auction.
That said, retaining Ishan Kishan ought to be a wise move on the part of MI. Kishan remains the sole Indian player to score a half-century on both T20I and ODI debuts. He has been a part of the Indian limited-overs setup in recent times.
Here, we take a look at three reasons as to why MI retaining Ishan Kishan is a good move ahead of IPL 2022:
#1 Indian wicket-keeping option
Having an Indian wicket-keeping option ticks off a major box for any IPL side, opening up the squad to a number of other options. With Ishan Kishan, MI have one of the best options available at their disposal.
With Kishan taking over the gloves, that is one less thing to worry about for the MI think tank at the auction table. Kishan is tidy and has been a regular in that aspect for Jharkhand in domestic cricket. He has also done well in the limited opportunities he has had with the gloves for India.
With South African star Quinton de Kock donning the gloves over the last three seasons, Kishan had minimal opportunities with the gloves in hand. But with his retention as wicket-keeper, MI can now focus their attention on overseas all-rounders and fast-bowlers. This will be key should they look beyond Hardik Pandya.
#2 Ishan Kishan - a Powerplay enforcer
MI and India's T20 skipper Rohit Sharma recently stated the intention to use Ishan Kishan at his spot where he's best suited - the opening slot.
It is worth noting that Kishan had a tough IPL 2021 season which even saw him benched for a couple of games. But he was brought back as an opener for MI's final two league games as an opener.
Ishan Kishan then blazed away to two breathtaking half-centuries. His 32-ball 84 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) powered MI to a mammoth 235 in their last league game of the season.
While MI did not qualify for the playoffs despite a win, Kishan showcased his pyrotechnics in the powerplay to blow the opposition attack away.
Ishan Kishan's pairing up with Rohit Sharma at the top gives MI the ideal left-right opening combination. Both players are also capable of dictating their own terms. What this would do is relieve MI from the pressure of going back to de Kock at the player auction. With a settled Indian opening pair, the side can now focus their strategies on middle-order enforcers and finishers instead.
#3 Succession plan post the Rohit Sharma era
Rohit Sharma is not getting any younger. Hence, MI would certainly want to use the next three-year cycle to groom a successor for the IPL's most successful captain. Ishan Kishan could well be an option to that end, having gathered considerable leadership experience at the tender age of 23.
Kishan led the Indian team to the final of the ICC U19 World Cup in 2016. He also captained his state side Jharkhand on many an occasion. With a full career ahead of him, the time is right to explore the leader in Ishan Kishan even further.
Also, a wicket-keeper is said to be a natural leader in the sport. Their input over the nature of the pitch and what the batter tends to do, apart from decisions over a review, is held in good stead.
On that front, Kishan comes in as a natural leader owing to his duties as a wicket-keeper. He could well be handed the full responsibility in the years to come. A wicket-keeper captain from Jharkhand - we've seen that before, haven't we?