IPL auction 2022: Ishan Kishan - big-money superstar

IPL auction in 2016, Ishan Kishan was trying to lay bat on ball in the nets of the India U-19 team in Fatullah, a town on the suburbs of Dhaka. IPL AUCTION 2022 LIVEHe was about to lead India U-19 in a World Cup quarterfinal the next day and he was barely able to connect his big hits. Coach Rahul Dravid, visibly frustrated, asked Ishan’s deputy Rishabh Pant to take him aside and calm him down. An hour later, a naïve Ishan had told TOI: “I don’t have to think about it now. Isske baad IPL hi toh khelna hain, I hope (anyway, I will have to mostly play IPL after this).” A day later, Pant became the big-money player of the pack, fetching Rs 1.9 crore while Ishan had to be content with Rs 35 lakh.

Pant’s career since has moved at a rapid pace way while Ishan has had to manoeuvre around troughs to eventually become the most expensive player on Day One of the IPL auction on Saturday.

When Mumbai Indians won the intense bidding war with Sunrisers Hyderabad after settling on Rs. 15.25 crore, Ishan truly made a place in the league where the big boys play. Indications are that the figure will be difficult to match on Sunday. His worth is 75 lakhs less than Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Rs. 1.75 crore less than KL Rahul. He has surpassed Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya by Rs 25 lakhs. He is the latest big-money superstar of Indian cricket.

Mumbai Indians have played a huge part in propelling Ishan’s career over the last four years. It is apt that Ishan is close on Pant’s heels as India’s backup white-ball wicketkeeper playing the impact role with the bat. TOI understands the newly-formed Gujarat Titans wanted to draft Ishan in the first place before the auctions but he had preferred to go back in the auction pool.