“Wo mandir ke paas wala store… kaafi well-known hai ab (That stall close to the temple is fairly well-known now),” stated Shikhar, referring to Bhola Litti, a preferred consuming joint that he considers probably the greatest locations for litti chokha.
The 21-year-old, who has lived all his life in Doranda, is arguably the most popular cricketing expertise in India proper now. Former India spinner and present Jharkhand State Cricket Affiliation (JSCA) official Shahbaz Nadeem calls Shikhar Mohan a prodigious expertise. "Lambi race ka ghoda hai, alag hello expertise hai (He’s a long-term prospect with distinctive expertise)," Nadeem advised TimesofIndia.com.
The opener has certainly walked the discuss. After a wonderful debut season in 2025-26, through which he amassed 613 runs at a median of 55.73, together with two centuries, he has began the brand new season in rollicking trend, smashing 143 in Jharkhand's opening match in opposition to Kerala on the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur. The southpaw additionally made some beneficial contributions within the Duleep Trophy remaining for East Zone, scoring 85 and 52 in each innings, adopted by a stable 60 on a inexperienced prime in Srinagar within the Irani Trophy, enjoying for Remainder of India in opposition to defending Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir.
"I need to carry out in addition to I did final season. The second season is at all times extra vital as a result of the opposition is aware of extra about you. Groups analyse your strengths and weaknesses, so you need to hold enhancing," Shikhar Mohan advised this web site on the eve of their match.
Shikhar has already made a fantastic begin to the Ranji Trophy season and credit it to the 25-day camp held in Chennai.
"We had a camp in Chennai for round 25 days earlier than the Duleep Trophy. We skilled in the course of the afternoon within the Chennai warmth. We additionally performed within the KSCA match. Preparation has been on level," he stated.
Shikhar admits that he was a bit nervous on the morning of the Duleep Trophy remaining. Regardless of coaching in Chennai for 3 weeks, it was his first time enjoying on a red-soil wicket. His state-mate and East Zone skipper Ishan Kishan helped him perceive the situations and guided him in the course of the match. The duo placed on 94 runs for the fourth wicket within the first innings and added 126 runs within the second.
"I spoke to Ishan bhaiya rather a lot over the last season as effectively. He would inform me which pictures I ought to play and which of them I ought to keep away from," he stated.
"Within the East, we don’t get many red-soil wickets. We usually play on black-soil surfaces, so I didn’t have a lot expertise batting on purple soil. In the course of the Duleep Trophy remaining in Chennai, Ishan bhai helped me perceive which pictures had been acceptable for these situations. For instance, he advised me there was no have to play the sweep shot in sure conditions. He helped me perceive what to play and what to keep away from. That steering made a giant distinction after I was constructing my innings," Shikhar added.
Regardless of his spectacular run with the bat, huge, headlines-grabbing scores had been lacking. Shikhar realised that he was experiencing lapses in focus halfway by means of his innings and obtained assist from present Jharkhand coach Ratan Kumar and former Jharkhand veteran Ishank Jaggi.
"There are two coaches who’ve helped me rather a lot. One is Ratan Kumar, who’s at the moment our senior head coach. I additionally converse rather a lot with Ishank Jaggi bhaiya. He has helped me each mentally and with my batting. He was my Below-19 coach and helped me rather a lot throughout that section. These two have performed a giant position in my growth," he stated.
"In my first 12 months of Below-19 cricket, I scored round 550 runs, with most of my scores within the 70s and 80s. The next 12 months, I wished to focus extra and convert these begins into larger scores.
"Earlier than dealing with a ball, I discuss to myself. I remind myself to observe the ball and keep centered. That has helped me rather a lot. Jaggi bhai additionally helped me with this, particularly when he was with the Below-19 crew. I began concentrating extra and specializing in one ball at a time. That strategy has actually helped me," Shikhar defined.
"Earlier than the season, I did a number of batting drills. I deal with enjoying near my physique and dealing on my drives as a result of these are the areas the place I rating most of my runs. I do know my scoring areas, so I labored on them," the Jharkhand opener stated.
"This season, I’ve targeting enjoying near my physique. I visualise myself enjoying inside a field, protecting my pictures near my physique. That has helped me rather a lot. As you noticed within the Irani Trophy, the wicket was inexperienced. I saved reminding myself to play near my physique and keep away from enjoying pictures away from it. I believe that is essential for an opener. It’s essential to play straight as a result of the SG ball deviates rather a lot, even after 10-12 overs. It’s a must to be much more centered after that interval. For the primary 40 balls, my focus is on enjoying near my physique," he stated.
Shikhar, who opens in all three codecs, says his preparation for every format is totally different.
"The preparation for red-ball and white-ball cricket could be very totally different. It’s a must to return to your fundamentals and make changes in line with the format. In white-ball cricket, it’s essential be extra proactive and play sure pictures often.
"In the meantime, in red-ball cricket, you can’t play each shot in the identical means. It’s a must to work on the pictures which can be efficient in white-ball cricket and practise them by means of particular drills. It’s essential to put together in another way for every format and perceive which pictures are acceptable for the state of affairs," he stated.
Shikhar Mohan has performed some wonderful knocks within the Duleep Trophy remaining and the Irani Trophy, however the innings closest to his coronary heart stays the one he scored in opposition to Uttar Pradesh within the Cooch Behar Trophy.
"I keep in mind a match in opposition to Uttar Pradesh on the Below-19 degree. I used to be batting on 20 when a ball hit me on the chest. I went off the sector and returned after we misplaced two wickets. We had been chasing a goal of 400 on the ultimate day, and I scored an unbeaten 100. We fell 40 runs brief when the day ended. That innings stays very particular to me," he stated.
For now, Shikhar's focus stays on constructing on his spectacular begin and establishing himself as certainly one of India's most constant home batters. However with runs flowing and his potential to transform begins into huge scores enhancing, the left-handed opener is starting to make a compelling case for himself. If he maintains this way, a future push for India's Check opening slot will not be exterior the realm of chance.