T20 World Cup 2026 squad: Ishan Kishan’s inclusion — a reward for consistency

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Jharkhand cricket team's skipper  Ishan Kishan arrives astatine  Birsa Munda Airport, a time  aft  the squad  won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, successful  Ranchi, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.

Jharkhand cricket team's skipper Ishan Kishan arrives astatine Birsa Munda Airport, a time aft the squad won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, successful Ranchi, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI

Two Decembers ago, Ishan Kishan recovered himself successful the headlines for the incorrect reasons. The wicketkeeper-batter had reportedly sought a interruption from India’s set-up, citing intelligence fatigue, lone to beryllium spotted holidaying overseas. The occurrence was the starting constituent successful a bid of events that culminated successful him being stripped of his BCCI yearly contract.

Also Read | Bit abbreviated of runs astatine the moment, but helium is prime player, says Agarkar

Fast guardant to Saturday (December 20), and little than 48 hours aft starring Jharkhand to a historical Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph — the State’s maiden BCCI rubric successful elder cricket— Kishan was backmost successful the quality for each the close reasons.

Twenty-five months aft his past planetary appearance, the left-hander was named successful India’s squad for the Men’s T20 World Cup.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar cited signifier and relation clarity arsenic cardinal factors down the recall. “He bats astatine the apical successful white-ball cricket and has been successful bully form. He has played for India earlier and has a treble 100 successful one-day cricket,” Agarkar said.

“He wasn’t successful the Indian squad due to the fact that determination were players similar Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant up of him. We felt a ’keeper astatine the apical gives america much solidity.”

That Kishan was firmly connected the selectors’ radar was evident successful Pune connected Saturday. Not lone did helium registry his 2nd period of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy — taking his tally to 517 runs astatine a onslaught complaint of 197.32 — helium was besides seen successful a speech with 2 nationalist selectors soon aft lifting the trophy.

Kishan’s recall, overmuch similar Karun Nair’s instrumentality to the Test broadside for the England tour, sends a beardown connection to home cricketers grinding it retired crossed the country. Consistent excellence remains hard to ignore. The onus present shifts to Kishan to warrant the religion placed successful him and implicit a redemption arc fewer would person predicted 2 years ago.

Published - December 21, 2025 07:09 americium IST

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