September 5 is Teachers’ Day, a day when students generally give their teachers gifts as a token of appreciation.
When Uttam Mazumdar met Ishan Kishan on Teachers’ Day a day prior to the Duleep Trophy 2026 final, he was fairly clear about what he wanted from his student. “I want to see you number one in all three formats, not just T20s,” he told his ward.
Earlier this year, Kishan became the number one T20 batter in the world as part of his remarkable return to the Indian white-ball setup, and after his gargantuan innings of 270 in the Duleep Trophy final, he will have forced his name into the conversation for the red-ball formats as well.
“I hope the people that watched know that 270 is not a simple matter,” Mazumdar, Kishan’s childhood coach, told Sportstar with pride after the innings. “That was an amazing innings.”
It is an innings he classes amongst the best he has seen from the East Zone captain. “It’s one of the best (innings Kishan has played) because of the conditions,” Mazumdar said. “He’s played under the heat, in tough conditions and against tough opposition.”
The 28-year-old has found the peak of the cricketing rollercoaster in 2026, seemingly unlocking a new level to his game, and Mazumdar attributes that growth to a mental shift rather than any major technical changes.
“Nothing technical has changed. He was the same Ishan Kishan you see right now,” he said about Kishan’s growth over the last two years. “But the temperament has changed. Runs ka bhook aa gaya hai (the hunger for runs has come). There is now a big challenge in front of him, to make it in all three formats. His approach is the same, but his mindset has changed, and he has excelled.”
Mazumdar noted that the mental change has complemented a strong technical base, saying, “Once you have a good technique, sometimes what you need is clarity in your mindset. His mindset has totally changed.
He follows his own methods about how to pace the innings and he has worked on his temperament. He has done a lot of meditation, that has helped him a lot, and he’s given a lot of focus to his fitness and nutrition.”
One of the standout features of Kishan’s outing in the Duleep Trophy final is the maturity in which he has skippered his team.
With bat in hand, he could be seen guiding his younger colleagues Shikhar Mohan and Kumar Kushagra in partnerships, while during the bowling innings he showed impressive tactical acumen in punishing conditions.
For Mazumdar, who has watched Kishan captain at multiple levels including India Under-19, domestic cricket, India-A, and IPL, his growth as a person is evident though leadership has always been natural.
“Nothing has happened overnight, it’s been there from the beginning,” he said. “He’s been working for 10-12 years, that always helps. When a person plays for a long time, his maturity and his experience counts for a lot.”
He is clear on Kishan’s best quality as a leader, saying, “He backs everyone, that is most important. If someone gets out quickly or goes for runs, he lets that go. He doesn’t speak negatively.
One of the standout features of Ishan Kishan’s outing in the Duleep Trophy final is the maturity in which he has skippered his team.
| Photo Credit:
R RAGU
One of the standout features of Ishan Kishan’s outing in the Duleep Trophy final is the maturity in which he has skippered his team.
| Photo Credit:
R RAGU
He gives everyone a chance as a captain. A captain has to give their trust in order to give confidence and get performances from players, and he does that for his players.”
Kishan’s performance in the Duleep Trophy will lead to speculation about him adding to his two Test caps, and while the batter himself said he would “not keep any expectation from myself” after his innings, his coach believes that there is a role for him in the national side.
“With the way he is in form, I think the Indian team management could think about what his best role could be in the Test team,” he said before adding with a laugh, “Players like this shouldn’t be missed out on.”
Published on Sep 08, 2026
