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Happy Birthday, Ishan Kishan! India Under-19 captain turns 18 today

Ishan Kishan led the under-19 team to win a tri-nation One-Day series against the Under-19 teams of England and Sri Lanka

Ishan Kishan led India Under-19 in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016 as the team ended as runners up © AFP
Ishan Kishan led India Under-19 in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016 as the team ended as runners up © AFP

Born on July 18, 1998, India’s Under-19 captain Ishan Pranav Kumar Pandey Kishan, more popular as Ishan Kishan turns 18 today. The player enjoyed much fame for his stint as the captain of India’s Under-19 team that ended as runners up in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016. Though quite fruitful for the team, Kishan’s individual performance disappointed his followers, given the potential in the player. Hailing from Jharkhand, the same state as India’s limited-overs skipper MS Dhoni, Kishan impressed cricket enthusiasts as well as the selectors at a very young age and got himself through to the Ranji Trophy team. READ: Ishan Kishan: IPL contract at this age provides immense happiness

Kishan made his First Class debut for Jharkhand in the year 2014 against Assam. He scored a decent 60 in the first innings and remained the highest scorer. But the first innings that earned him praises from critics was his innings against Saurashtra at the Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground, Rajkot. The batsman scored a 69-ball 87 including 4 fours and 8 sixes. In his first ten innings that season, the young player scored five half-centuries and a brilliant century.

He tasted success as a captain for the first time as he led the under-19 team to win a tri-nation One-Day series against the Under-19 teams of England and Sri Lanka held in Sri Lanka. Defeating the hosts in the final, India Under-19 won the series and as a result, he was given the captaincy for the soon to be held ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016. However, he failed to continue with his form with the bat, scoring just one half-century that came against Nepal Under-19 team in the high intensity tournament. India beat Sri Lanka in the semi-final but lost it to West Indies in the final and ended as the runners up.

His talent impressed the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Gujarat Lions’ selector and he was bought for INR 35 lakhs in the auction for IPL 2016. Here’s wishing the promising young cricketer a very happy birthday and a fruitful career ahead.

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