Kishan incredibly talented and needs to be nurtured, say former keepers

Purely from a cricketing perspective, Ishan Kishan hasn't done a whole lot wrong With Rishabh Pant deservedly cornering all the glory, he has patiently waited for his chances, the two having started their careers at the same time in the India U-19 team where Ishan was captain.

As No.1 choice Pant works towards regaining full fitness, Ishan has stepped up to fill his boots in the chances that he has got. Being a player in a similar mould--attacking left-handed batter and keeper -- this provided an ideal opportunity for him to prove that he can fill in the gap. After the recent ODI World Cup though the script has not gone as expected.

The point is Ishan is not a journeyman cricketer. He is a prized commodity who has his entire career in front of him while he has gained good experience before turning 25. While he is on a break for the T20Is against Afghanistan starting on Thursday, it didn't seem fit that he was reduced to a passenger during the white-ball leg of the recent South Africa series when he should have been in the playing XI as a keeper-batter in the T20s and as a top-order batter in the ODIS.

Unless a player has disciplinary issues, every team takes great care to back the player and get the best out of him. In his press conference in Mohali on Wednesday, coach Rahul Dravid said there's no disciplinary reason in Kishan leaving South Africa early.

Sitting out continuously can be tough on a player, especially when he has done well. Ishan was in the ODI World Cup squad, and when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are not in the team it is expected that he should be the next in line in terms of giving someone a chance.