IPL auction 2022: Knew Mumbai Indians will go for me, says Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan calls himself a "mama's boy". But he was the 'big daddy' of IPL auctions and he's back at the Mumbai Indians, a franchise that went all out to buy him for `15.25 cr. "I didn't want to go anywhere else," he says. The 23-going-on-24 player sat down for a chat with TOI about his cricket. Excerpts from an extensive tete-a-tete:It's been a grand homecoming for you with Mumbai Indians...The franchise has always been very helpful, has backed me and worked on me. I can never have complaints. All I need to do is work hard on my game, reciprocate by playing good cricket. The way they've put their belief in me and invested in my future, all I need to do is follow the processes that have been laid out.

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Mumbai Indians are best known for grooming leaders. Rohit Sharma is their flaunting card. Ishan could well be their next big investment. This auction was meant to be laying the foundation for a strong core for years to come. At 23, Ishan has enough time to mature as a leader by the time Rohit

How confident were you on the auction eve that you'll return?I knew MI would go for me. That wasn't the worrying bit. The worrying part was the rising price because MI needed to save on money to build the rest of the team. It wasn't just about me. For a minute there, I must admit, my heart skipped a beat. There's a reason why I wanted to come back to MI. They know me, they understand my game and I know my franchise and how it works. Because I've been part of this family, I was sure I didn't want to go anywhere else. I've been here four years and the bonding has been amazing. We've won two trophies, stood for each other and with each other, they know my cricket and I know