Kanishk Seth, who had a great season with East Bengal this season, wants to level up his game to IPL level at the Bengal Pro T20 League. Kanishk was a part of the CSK squad which won the 2018 IPL.
Kanishk Seth, during his U-19 days with Bengal, was seen as a future star. A batchmate of Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ishan Porel, and others, Seth quickly made a name for himself with his left-arm pace bowling.
However, fate had different plans for him. Just before the ICC U-19 World Cup, he suffered an injury, which led to Khaleel Ahmed replacing him. Ahmed later went on to represent India.
Seth was also on the verge of joining the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team in 2022, but a registration issue cost him that opportunity. Harshit Rana took his place and subsequently played for India.
Throughout his career, Kanishk has encountered several setbacks, some beyond his control and others due to circumstances he could have influenced. In search of stability, he joined Railways for the 2020/21 season, a decision he now considers a mistake. After leaving the Railways and paying a sum of INR 15.75 lakhs, Kanishk has returned to his roots in Bengal.
After a great season with Bengal in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and East Bengal in club cricket, the left-arm pacer allrounder is now looking to go one level up at the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025.
In an exclusive interview with Sportz Point before playing his first match for the Adamas Howrah Warriors, Kanishk reflected on his journey.
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Return to Bengal from Railways
He made his T20 debut back in 2015, when he was a rookie in Bengal cricket. Although he had the potential to become one of Bengal's finest players, he had to wait a long time to become a consistent presence on the team.
"I went to the Railways to have some financial security in my life. I feel that was a bad decision, and I should have stayed in Bengal," Kanishk told Sportz Point.
"Later on, I realised that a kid always had to come to his home to feel better. And, I feel better whenever I play for Bengal. Thanks for C.A.B. the way they took care of me when I wanted to return to Bengal," the left-arm pacer added.
"I always aimed to return at 200% more than what I was when I left Bengal. I think those years of intensive training really paid off," Kanishk remarked.
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Learnings from CSK
In 2018, Kanishk was bought by Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Even though he didn't get to play a game, the experience taught him invaluable lessons that he is now applying in his game. "At CSK, multiple international captains were part of one team, offering a unique learning environment. I am grateful for the experiences and memories from my time there."
"It took me 2-3 years to translate those learnings into my gameplay, but I'm finally seeing the results now."
Throughout those years, his former teammates from U-19 cricket have advanced in their careers. Ishan Porel nearly broke into the Indian team, Abhimanyu Easwaran is on the verge of making his Test debut, and Akash Deep has already represented India. Despite this, Kanishk remains unfazed.
"I don't mind my journey being different. Everyone has their path. I feel happiest when someone from my batch achieves success, whether it's playing for India or the IPL. They all deserve it," he said.
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"IPL teams demand clarity and execution"
Currently, Kanishk is focused on reaching the next level and helping his team succeed. After attending numerous IPL trials, he has a clearer understanding of what teams look for in a player and is working on those aspects.
"IPL franchises look for clarity. You should have the skill to bowl six consecutive Yorkers if needed, and you must execute effectively over 80% of the time to play at that level," Kanishk explained.
That is when fellow Bengal players like Shahbaz Ahmed, who is one of the key players in the IPL, help him with information. During the Bengal Pro T20 League 2024, Sportz Point noticed how Shahbaz was sharing how Kanishk's slower ball was getting picked easily.
"Shahbaz was saying even at the start of the run-up, he was picking that I was going to bowl a slower ball. I worked on that in the off-season and got Hardik (Pandya), Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma out with that slower ball," Kanishk stated.
Throughout his journey, Kanishk has seen many opportunities slip through his fingers, whether it was playing in the IPL or missing out on the ICC U-19 World Cup. However, he now knows what to do and how to respond to life’s challenges.
With the Adamas Howrah Warriors, Kanishk aims to be a valuable contributor—whether it’s bowling at the start or end of an innings, scoring runs, or taking crucial catches. He is determined to make a mark in the Bengal Pro T20 League.
"Only winners get noticed in cricket. I want to help the team win. That's it. I hope I will be able to do that," he concluded.
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