Manav Krishna, trying to make his mark in KCL

Manav is one of the brightest young talents in Kerala cricket, having played in the Ranji Trophy before earning an under-19 India cap. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement As a young boy watching cricket on television, Manav Krishna was enamoured by M.S. Dhoni’s lightning-fast skills behind the stumps. He developed a fascination with wicket-keeping and dreamt of becoming a cricketer like the former Indian captain.Today, Manav is one of the brightest young talents in Kerala cricket, having played in the Ranji Trophy before earning an under-19 India cap.However, the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) has proved to be an elusive stage for Manav, who is yet to play a single match in the State’s premier T20 tournament.He was a surprise omission in the second season auction. Though he was picked as a replacement midway through the league, a call-up for the NCA camp delayed his KCL debut.The long-awaited debut may be on the horizon in the third season after getting selected by Thrissur Titans.The 18-year-old heads into the tournament high on confidence after scoring a century against Sri Lanka in the second youth Test in July.He remains optimistic that he will be able to make the transition from the slow-burning longer format to the frantic pace of T20 cricket.“I am very confident that I will be able to adapt to T20 cricket, and I think I have the strokes to succeed in this format. I played on a good batting track in Sri Lanka and made good use of the opportunity. I played the ball on merit, and it was satisfying to score a century against Sri Lanka,’’ he said.Manav enjoyed a prolific 2025-26 season in the Cooch Behar Trophy, amassing 590 runs with two centuries. His batting was the lone bright spot for Kerala in a disastrous campaign. Manav’s consistent performance earned him a place in the Ranji Trophy team. He made his debut against Goa and impressed with his glovework, taking four catches and playing a small but significant role in his team’s consolation win.Manav’s rise, however, is also a story of a bold leap of faith when he made the calculated decision to shift his cricketing base from the hyper-competitive corridors of Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram.He found a mentor in S.S. Shine at St. Mary’s Cricket Academy. “I have been training under Shine sir ever since I came to Thiruvananthapuram. He has played a big part in moulding my career and refining my skills’’ said Manav.“He is very hard-working, sincere and above all, very focused. I am happy with the way he has progressed, and the India Under-19 cap doesn’t surprise me. He is one of the best young talents in Kerala right now,’’ said Shine.And Manav is trying his best to live up to the expectations. Published - August 10, 2026 07:12 pm IST