Ishan Kishan, who once had the potential to feature in the Indian national team across all formats, suddenly found himself away from the squad. This player, considered the future big batsman and wicketkeeper of Indian cricket, went through a difficult period that cast doubt on his career. He lost his central BCCI contract, stepped away from the Indian team, and for almost two years, his path in international cricket was closed. However, it was during this tough time that Ishan began rebuilding himself.
This process of transformation did not start with successful strokes, but with accepting the role of captain in Jharkhand. Now 28-year-old Ishan Kishan played a historic innings of 270 runs in the Duleep Cup final in Chennai, and this is not just a big innings. It is the story of a player who emerged from the most difficult period of his life, changing both his playing style and his mindset.
By mid-2023, Ishan's career was heading in a completely different direction. After his Test debut during the tour of South Africa, he established himself among India's multi-format players. But after only a few months, circumstances changed. During the tour of South Africa, he left the test training camp. Following this, he did not play as expected by the BCCI regarding domestic cricket. This affected his career: he fell out of the Indian team's plans and lost his central contract.
The player, who seemed part of the future of Indian cricket just a few months ago, suddenly found himself far from the national team. It was here that Ishan began searching for a way back.
Upon returning to domestic cricket, he took on the role of captain of Jharkhand. This became a turning point in his career. According to Ishan, captaincy taught him about responsibility. Now he needed to think not only about his own game but also monitor the condition of every player on the field, understand their needs, and see how the entire team could improve its game.
After the 270-run innings in the Duleep Cup, Ishan noted that captaincy significantly changed him as a person, as a cricketer, and as a leader. He even stated that captaincy distanced him from his 'wild child' days.
Ishan admitted that previously, as a young player, his thinking was different. Back then, senior players on the team scored runs, and others tried to help them. But now, being part of the established players of the team, he feels that the main responsibility for increasing the team's score rests on him. In other words, his mindset has changed. For Ishan, it is no longer just about how many runs he scores; he also started considering what value his innings brings to the team.
Captaincy also taught him that developing the other players on the team is the captain's duty. According to Ishan, players often come to practice, play, and leave. But after becoming captain, his focus shifted to where his teammates could improve and how he could help them do so. His thought was clear: if every player on the team gets better, achieving the team's goals becomes easier.
Under the captain's guidance, Ishan's performance in domestic cricket consistently grew. In the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, he scored a hundred. Then the Jharkhand team won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, where Ishan played a key role, scoring 517 runs. During this period, he also scored two centuries. It was this performance that opened the doors for him into the Indian national team. First, he returned to the T20 International squad, and then, thanks to consistent performances in the IPL, secured a place in the ODI squad as well.
The player, who almost disappeared from Indian cricket about two years ago, has gradually returned to the national team lineup.
The 270-run innings in the Duleep Cup final was the best example of these changes. Ishan's natural playing style is aggressive; he is known for attacking bowlers. However, in Chennai, he demonstrated not only aggression but also situational awareness. The team chose to chase a big score, winning the toss. Under such conditions, Ishan controlled his shot selection and remained on the field for a long time. He admitted that he could have played an aggressive shot in many instances, but the priority was fulfilling the team's objective.
This distinguishes his old and new playing styles. Previously, Ishan's game was more about 'how big a score can I make'; now, the question 'what value will my innings bring to the team' has been added to this.
What the distance from the Indian team taught him was solidified by captaincy. Ishan's return is special because it is not just a return to form. He lost his spot in the Indian team during a period when his career was rapidly rising, and he lost his BCCI contract. He returned to domestic cricket...
