Ishan Kishan’s comeback story becomes a life lesson as he silences critics and reshapes perceptions with impactful performances.
India’s third T20 World Cup triumph carries many stories of human triumph over failure, determination to succeed against all odds, and the ability to seize opportunities and climb the ladder of success. One such story that leaves a lasting impact is Ishan Kishan’s journey in the 2026 World T20.
A couple of years ago, he lost his place in the national team after taking a break due to “mental fatigue.” He had a fallout with the BCCI and subsequently lost his central contract. Two years later, he emerged as India’s second-highest run-getter in their victorious 2026 T20 World Cup campaign.
There are many life lessons to be learned from Kishan’s journey from being out of the team to becoming part of a tournament-winning side.
Controlling what can be controlled
When Kishan’s world turned upside down two years ago, he did not spend time pitying himself or lamenting missed opportunities. Instead, he got down to the business of grinding it out in domestic cricket, understanding that he could do little to change what had already happened. He took the setbacks in his stride and took a fresh guard in his cricketing journey.
He worked on his game, scored consistently in domestic cricket, and led from the front as Jharkhand won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The selectors could no longer look beyond Kishan when they needed another attacking keeper-opener alongside Sanju Samson in the T20 World Cup squad.
After his match-winning knock of 77 against Pakistan in the 2026 World T20-winning campaign, Kishan said he did not waste time dwelling on the past. Instead, he followed his friend Hardik Pandya’s advice, “Not to talk about it or go negative about it. All you can do is what is in your hands. That was playing cricket and scoring runs. Doing well in tournaments.” The hard work of two years eventually paid off, as Kishan emerged as one of the primary architects of India’s success in the tournament.
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Self-belief can take you places
There have been many instances when not only players, but people from all walks of life lose their focus after a failure or two and begin to doubt themselves. Once self-doubt sets in, the path often leads only downhill. Credit, however, must go to Kishan for continuing to believe in himself despite being out of the national team for two years and making a comeback that is the stuff of legends.
After Sunday’s final against New Zealand, Kishan said, “I think for me the most important thing is self-belief. Because once you go into that self-doubt zone then that puts pressure on your game. That does not help individually and you are also not helping the team. So, self-belief, hard work and when you help others in their bad time, it returns to you as well.”
It was this self-belief that gave Kishan the confidence that he belonged on the big stage and helped him set the T20 World Cup alight. Apart from the 77 against Pakistan, he played several match-winning cameos at No. 3. His 54 in the final against New Zealand helped India set up a match-winning total, while the knocks of 39 against England and 38 against Zimbabwe proved gold.
Hard work attracts good luck
“The harder you work, the luckier you get” — this age-old proverb was perfectly illustrated by Kishan. India had decided the core of their T20 World Cup squad long in advance, and Kishan was nowhere in the picture. However, as Shubman Gill continued to flatter to deceive and Sanju Samson remained inconsistent, the selectors felt the need for a keeper-opener as a backup to Samson.
Around the time of selection, Kishan grabbed headlines by striking quick, aggressive centuries in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The selectors had little choice but to pick him ahead of Jitesh Sharma, who had done nothing wrong in the opportunities he received in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. Kishan’s performances, however, were simply too good to ignore, and he fit the bill as a potential replacement if Samson’s inconsistency at the top continued.
Eventually, Kishan did replace Samson as the opener in the World T20. In the end, it was Kishan’s hard work that created his luck and helped him become part of a World Cup-winning squad.
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Keeping team’s interest ahead of individual milestones
India’s success in the T20 World Cup was not the result of any one individual. It was a complete team effort. Even Rinku Singh, who played only a handful of games, contributed by fielding brilliantly as a substitute in the deep.
After his exit from the national team, Kishan admitted that he had realised the need to contribute more to the team’s cause. This change in attitude helped him lead Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and eventually earn a place in the World T20 squad. In many ways, he personified Team India’s strategy of putting the team ahead of personal milestones — a mantra that coach Gautam Gambhir has repeatedly emphasised in every press conference.
“So, this is what I learned in domestic cricket. Instead of focusing on myself, I thought why should I not take the whole team forward. Have good company, do hard work, be happy and never lose confidence in yourself. And you definitely have to improve your game,” Kishan said in the Press Conference after the final at Ahmedabad.
Road ahead for Kishan
With his performances in the T20 World Cup, Ishan Kishan has firmly established himself as an integral part of India’s T20 setup, where competition for every spot in the XI is intense given the country’s rich pool of young talent. Yet, his powerhouse displays in the campaign proved that he belongs at this level. If anything, Kishan has shown that he is here to stay; ready to play long innings for India and win many more matches for the team in the years to come.
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