Learning from Dhoni, Ishan Om finds his own way

This year, Ishan Om, a left-arm spinner, spent almost two weeks bowling to him at the nets before Dhoni left for the tournament.

Ishan claimed his maiden five-wicket haul for India u-19 against Australia.
| Photo Credit: Shayan Acharya

For Ishan Om, bowling to Mahendra Singh Dhoni is no longer quite the surreal experience it might be for another teenager.

The Ranchi youngster has done it often enough.

Every year, before the Indian Premier League (IPL), Dhoni comes to the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi to prepare. This year, Ishan, a left-arm spinner, spent almost two weeks bowling to him at the nets before Dhoni left for the tournament.

The experience has given Ishan more than a story to tell. It has given him advice from the man he grew up idolising.

READ | Ishan Om five-wicket haul puts India in driver’s seat

“His main advice was that, as a cricketer at this age, especially as an Under-19 player, I should focus more on red-ball cricket. White-ball skills will gradually develop on their own, but his main point was that I should not ignore red-ball cricket,” Ishan told Sportstar.

On Sunday, he put that advice into action.

Ishan claimed his maiden five-wicket haul for India u-19, helping bowl Australia under-19 out for 217 on the opening day of the first Youth Test at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.

It has been a steady journey into the u-19 team for the youngster. He started at an academy in Ranchi when he was eight, moved through district and State cricket, played two years of u-19 cricket for Jharkhand and captained the side last season. He also made his Ranji Trophy debut before earning his India u-19 call-up.

Cricket, though, was not the only path open to him.

His father runs a power plant business and his two elder sisters are advocates. Ishan, too, was good at studies. “My sisters would tell me to concentrate on my studies. But I continued playing cricket alongside it,” he said with a smile. “I completed my Class X and after that I shifted my focus more towards cricket. I am still continuing my studies alongside cricket, but my main focus is on cricket now.”

That decision has taken him from a Ranchi academy to the India u-19 dressing room. Along the way, he has also benefited from the experience of former India spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, who worked with him during the off-season and mentored him during his Ranji Trophy stint.

For now, Ishan is not looking too far ahead.

“I haven’t set any specific target yet,” he said. “My aim is that whatever match I play, whoever I play for and wherever I play, I should do well. I just want to enjoy my bowling.”

And in Ranchi, whenever Dhoni is around, there is always another opportunity to learn. For Ishan, it is not just Dhoni’s cricket that stands out. It is the person.

“The best thing about him, I feel, is how humble he is. No matter how big you become, you should continue to speak properly and respectfully with your roots and with your people,” he said.

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Source: sportstar.thehindu.com