Ishan Kishan made a much-awaited return to the Indian team as the wicketkeeper-batter has been picked for the T20 World Cup 2026. Kishan, the 27-year-old, last played for India in the T20I series against Australia in November 2023 and is in line for his first game after more than two years.
Kishan has been named in India’s 15-member squad for the World Cup and for the preceding T20I series against New Zealand. From losing out on BCCI central contracts at one stage, the Southpaw has made a storybook-like comeback.
From being the squad’s mainstay to taking a break
Kishan was one of the consistent players in India’s squads in 2023, but did not always get matches as he was the third opener after the then captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. He played a couple of matches in the ODI World Cup 2023 when Gill was sick, but did not get a game once the Punjab batter returned.
Kishan played in the subsequent series after the ODI World Cup but took a break due to ‘personal reasons’. It was later confirmed that he asked for a break due to ‘mental fatigue’.
Sacked from central contracts
Kishan was picked in India’s Tests and T20I squads for the tour to South Africa but did not get to play a single T20I game. Thereafter, he pulled out from the Tests due to personal reasons.
Kishan then did not make himself available for the domestic season and hence was dropped from the BCCI central contracts for 2023/24 in the month of February 2024.
Kishan’s road to comeback in domestic and Indian team
Meanwhile, Kishan had a mediocre IPL with the Mumbai Indians in 2024, when he scored 320 runs at an average of 23 and a strike rate of 149.
He then made himself available for domestic cricket and played in the Duleep Trophy and the Irani Cup. Kishan also scored a hundred in the Duleep Trophy.
Kishan then played for India A’s first-class team on the tour to Australia. He featured for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25. Kishan was then picked in the BCCI central contracts earlier this year in the ‘C’ category.
Century on SRH debut and brilliance in SMAT
Kishan was picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2025 mega auction and slammed a century on his debut for the franchise in IPL 2025. However, he tallied 354 runs in 13 innings at an average of 35.40 and a strike rate of 152.48.
The major turning point came in the SMAT 2025. He led Jharkhand to win the domestic premier T20 title for the very first time and had a spectacular season with the bat, scoring 517 runs in just 10 innings at an average of 57.44 and a strike rate of 197.33.
The icing on the cake moment came in the final when he smacked 101 from 49 balls and helped Jharkhand beat Haryana in the final.
India’s need aligned with what Kishan offers
The entry into the Indian squad was not straightforward despite these performances. It came after his credentials aligned with what India need in the T20 World Cup 2026.
India have gone back to their wicketkeeper opener choice in the format after the Shubman Gill experiment did not reward them well. With Sanju Samson set to take the top spot, India needed another wicketkeeper at the top and then came Kishan into the picture as he pipped Jitesh Sharma, who bats in the middle or lower middle-order and is a designated finisher.
Now with Kishan in the squad, he might get a game or two in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in January and if he impresses, Samson – the first-choice keeper opener – would feel the heat heading into the World Cup.
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