Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan of India celebrate after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India vs Sri Lanka 2026 final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) NEW DELHI: “I had a moon form, it was the spring of the year. (You were out of form for a month, I was out of the team for two years.) Those were the words of Ishan Kishan when he interrupted Abhishek Sharma, who was answering a question about the matches, in the mixed zone after India’s T20 World Cup triumph in Ahmedabad.It was really fun banter, but underneath those words you could feel how deeply Ishan Kishan wanted to return to the Indian team after being unceremoniously dropped in 2023 when he asked for leave due to mental fatigue. But he turned it around with his bat and did all the talking.
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It has been a remarkable three-and-a-half months for the 27-year-old, who is now set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming Indian Premier League in 2026, in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins, who is likely to miss the tournament.The southpaw has scored 317 runs during India’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign and is currently second in the T20I batting charts. Ishan is just behind Abhishek Sharma whom he beat in the battle for the Sunrisers Hyderabad captaincy.
AHMEDABAD, INDIA – MARCH 08: Ishan Kishan of India writes to the TV camera as he celebrates victory after the ICC T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Abhishek Sharma, who has been part of the SRH line-up for the last seven seasons, was also in contention for the captaincy. However, the 24-year-old left out his Indian teammate due to Ishan’s proven leadership. In domestic cricket, Abhishek also leads Punjab but Ishan Kishan was exceptional when he led Jharkhand. He led Jharkhand to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title and also scored 517 runs at an impressive strike rate of 197.32, including a 51-ball knock in the final against Haryana.Former Indian cricketer Shahbaz Nadeem, who has seen Ishan up close since his Ranji Trophy debut at the age of 16, describes his statesman as a natural leader.
Captaincy is something that comes naturally. Leaders are born. You can’t make a leader. He has that attitude. I saw it up close.
Shahbaz Nadeem | Former India and Jhakrhand cricketer
“He has been the captain for quite some time now. He led India in the Under-19 World Cup and was Jharkhand’s captain for a while. I think SRH made a good decision to appoint him as captain. He has all the ingredients of a good leader,” Shahbaz Nadeem, now joint secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association, told TimesofIndiacom.“Captainship is something that comes naturally. Leaders are born. You can’t make leaders. He has that attitude. I have seen it from close quarters. The way he has led Jharkhand in the last two years is commendable. He has taken the confidence of the team to the next level. Jharkhand has now become a side feared by the opposition and Ishan has been the key player for Jharkhand for the longest time to do that,” he added.Nadeem pointed to two key qualities of Ishan: his ability to connect with youngsters and his keen reading of the game from behind the stumps.
India’s Ishan Kishan walks out after being dismissed during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India vs Sri Lanka 2026 final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
“He makes all the lads comfortable and gives them freedom. It never feels like there’s a captain amongst you. He’s just another team-mate. He tries to guide the lads on and off the pitch and has a rare ability to get the best out of them,” he said.“The second thing is that he is a keeper. A keeper naturally reads the game better. A captain who plays at half-off, midfield or slip often relies on the keeper because he understands the pitch better and has the best vision. You follow a plan when batting, but captaincy is most important when fielding. If your captain is a keeper, it gives you another advantage,” he added.
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How has Ishan Kishan’s leadership affected Jharkhand’s performance in domestic cricket?
Nadeem believes that Ishan’s domestic grind played a key role in his return to the Indian team and that SRH’s decision to back his leadership will pay off.“Captainship in domestic cricket is more difficult than in IPL. In IPL you have the best domestic and overseas players whereas in domestic cricket the overall quality is more varied. He got the SRH captaincy because of his domestic performances and I am confident he will do well,” he said.
