What a redemption story it has been! From being out of the team to becoming a T20 World Cup-winner, Ishan Kishan has seen it all in the last two to three years. The left-handed batter got out of the reckoning for the national team during Rahul Dravid’s tenure as the head coach, and it all happened when the wicketkeeper-batter asked for a break midway through the South Africa series. This rubbed both Dravid and the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, the wrong way. However, Kishan broke the door down when it came to selection for the national team by scoring heaps and heaps of runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. And now, Kishan is going nowhere since he helped the Men in Blue win the T20 World Cup and also finished as India’s second-highest run-scorer, behind Sanju Samson.
After India’s emphatic 96-run win in the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, Kishan revealed that he had to battle adversity a day before the summit clash as tragedy struck. The 27-year-old who plays for Jharkhand in domestic cricket, revealed that he lost his cousin sister in a car accident a day before the grand finale.
Kishan, who scored a half-century in the final, dedicated the win to his cousin sister on the day, which happened to be International Women’s Day. The left-handed batter revealed that he spoke to his close friend and teammate Hardik Pandya, and it was he who told him to focus on the T20 World Cup final and put the team ahead.
“To be honest, before the game, I lost my cousin sister yesterday in a car accident. I played well for her. I spoke to Hardik bhai, he said to put the team ahead. I dedicate this win to her, and today is Women’s Day, so it makes it all the more special,” Kishan told reporters in Ahmedabad.
It is worth noting that Kishan earned his place back in the T20I squad before the World Cup during the five-match series against New Zealand. He came back into the side following Jharkhand’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win under his captaincy. Kishan then stunned one and all in the matches against New Zealand, even hitting a century in the final T20I. His performance was so great that incumbent opening batter Sanju Samson lost his place in the playing XI.
Kishan’s great run
Kishan played all the games for India in the T20 World Cup, scoring 317 runs and finishing as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the tournament, only behind Sahibzada Farhan, Tim Seifert and Samson.
When asked about his mindset when he was not in the national team, Kishan cited Virat Kohli and said he stopped thinking about it because it was not in his control.
“I have stopped thinking too much. Just do your work and not think about the things which are not under your control, and that’s what Virat (Kohli) bhai always did,” said Kishan.
Kishan also revealed the conversation he had with India captain Suryakumar Yadav before the squad was picked for the T20 World Cup.
“When Surya bhai called, I took a screenshot and thought it was for the World Cup. He called and asked WC jeetwayega kya. I asked, ‘Aap bharosa karoge kya?’ and I said, ‘Karoonga.’ He said chal kiya,” he added.
