Ishan Kishan Can Be India’s Next Virender Sehwag In Test Cricket, Says Childhood Coach Uttam Mazumdar

Greater Noida, Aug 23: Ishan Kishan’s ability to dominate white-ball cricket is well established, but his childhood coach Uttam Mazumdar believes the left-handed batter can make an equally significant impact in the longest format and could become India’s next Virender Sehwag in Test cricket.

Kishan has so far played only two Tests since making his debut against the West Indies in July 2023, scoring 1 not out, 25 and 52 not out. However, the Jharkhand batter has enjoyed a strong run in domestic cricket and returned to India’s white-ball setup after accumulating runs on the domestic circuit.

He is now leading East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, giving him another opportunity to strengthen his case for a return to India’s Test squad.

In an exclusive interaction with myKhel, Mazumdar backed his protege to make the most of the opportunity and insisted that Kishan possesses the qualities required to succeed in red-ball cricket.

“We have seen what Ishan Kishan is capable of. He has done it. He is a world champion in T20 and he has proved that he is a match-winner and one of the most destructive batters at present in the world,” Mazumdar said.

“But in red-ball cricket, what should we do to come into Test cricket? What should the selectors see? The Duleep Trophy is starting and Ishan is leading East Zone. There will be four or five Test matches. I think, in the coming time, when Ishan performs like this in red-ball cricket, he can come back into Team India,” he added.

‘Ishan Kishan can be the next Virender Sehwag’

Mazumdar believes Kishan’s natural aggression could become a major asset in Test cricket, drawing parallels with Sehwag, who redefined the way an opener could approach the longest format.

“We know Virender Sehwag. Ishan Kishan will be the next Virender Sehwag for Team India,” Mazumdar said.

“I will be very happy as a guru when he plays a Test match.”

Sehwag’s fearless approach transformed Test batting, with the former India opener regularly putting opposition attacks under pressure from the outset. Mazumdar believes Kishan has similar qualities and can bring that attacking mindset into red-ball cricket.

“Today there are a lot of aggressive batters, but Sehwag was the pioneer. He changed how people perceived Test-match batting. Ishan has the ingredients to play that kind of cricket,” he said.

Kishan’s red-ball credentials, however, remain largely untested at the international level. His brief Test career has yielded only two appearances, making his domestic performances particularly important if he is to convince the selectors that he can adapt his attacking game to the demands of Test cricket.

Mazumdar backs Ranji Trophy route for youngsters

Mazumdar also stressed the importance of domestic red-ball cricket in India’s player-development pathway, agreeing with former India head coach Rahul Dravid’s emphasis on maintaining interest in Test cricket among younger generations.

“I totally agree with Rahul sir. These talented kids should play Test cricket. They should play Ranji Trophy. When they get exposure in Ranji Trophy, then they can get a place in the Team India Test side,” he said.

“Ranji Trophy is the icon of BCCI. Ranji Trophy is the mainstay of Team India’s Test cricket.”

For Mazumdar, the development of young cricketers cannot be restricted to white-ball formats, despite the enormous popularity and exposure associated with T20 cricket.

“Ultimately, Test cricket is the main thing. In white-ball cricket, there are a lot of people involved and the exposure is very high. We want to give more exposure to Test cricket,” he said.

Mazumdar also expressed optimism about India’s current Test setup under young captain Shubman Gill.

“The way Shubman and the team are performing, hats off to the team management and the way they are taking the team forward. We will win the next Test,” he said.

Uttam Mazumdar’s ICAL initiative aims to bridge talent gap

While Mazumdar’s immediate focus remains on developing young cricketers, he is also working on a broader initiative through the Indian Cricket Academy League (ICAL).

According to Mazumdar, ICAL has been conceived to address a gap between academy-level cricket and the competitive pathway that follows. He believes several talented youngsters lose opportunities because they do not get adequate exposure or access to scouts after spending years in academies.

“When the kids come to the academy and bring their parents, their dreams break after two or three years. There is no tournament or league at that level, especially for those who are under 12, 14 and 16 years old, and also from 17 to 30 years of age,” Mazumdar said.

ICAL plans to bring selectors and scouts from across India onto one platform. Registration is expected to begin in September, followed by trial and high-performance camps in October and November.

The initiative also aims to connect young players with international opportunities through tournament-exchange programmes involving countries such as England, South Africa and Australia.

“We want to make them play in international leagues. There are a lot of problems in playing on bouncy pitches, so our main target is to give them exposure to international cricket,” Mazumdar said.

ICAL Super 30 to support players with limited resources

Mazumdar also outlined the ICAL Super 30 programme, which will focus on giving talented youngsters who lack financial resources a pathway into competitive cricket.

“Due to lack of money, a lot of kids can’t play cricket. We want to give exposure to the Super 30 boys, not only in domestic tournaments but also in the international circuit,” he said.

The programme will primarily use the T20 format and is also expected to have television coverage, with the objective of giving players greater visibility.

ICAL is already looking at academies and registrations across several parts of the country, including Delhi, Gujarat, Rohtak, Maharashtra and Chennai, with Mazumdar aiming to create a platform covering the East, West, North and South.

The league will also focus on players who may have missed the traditional scouting pathway.

“Players who perform at the state level will find a way. But there are highly talented players – spinners, fast bowlers and batsmen – who haven’t been scouted. We will choose such players and do a high-performance camp with them,” Mazumdar said.

For Mazumdar, the larger objective is to ensure that talent does not go unnoticed – much like he hopes Kishan’s red-ball potential will not remain unexplored.

If Kishan can convert his domestic form into consistent performances with the red ball, his coach believes the destructive batter could add a new dimension to India’s Test batting in the years ahead.