Ishan Kishan (Source: @ImTanujSingh/x.com)
Cricket inspires life, gives life lessons, offering hope to every young soul chasing a bat and ball. But beyond the glory lies a cruel truth, for some unsung heroes, heartbreak arrives even after doing everything right, with success forever just out of reach.
Once the poster boy of fearless power-hitting, Ishan Kishan lit up world cricket with explosive T20 cameos and a jaw-dropping ODI double hundred built on domestic dominance. But what followed was a brutal snub; even after two years, Team India’s squad remains out of reach for him.
After 2023, a series of heartbreaks followed the young wicketkeeper, but every time he answered back with his heroics. Turning heads, he led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 triumph with an outstanding hundred.
With the T20 World Cup 2026 fast approaching, the question now echoes louder than ever: has Ishan Kishan done enough, and will Team India finally listen?
He doesn’t chase the spotlight; the spotlight is chasing him
Some stars rise from ashes, and some turn the opponent into ashes, and Ishan Kishan belongs to the second category. A gifted wicketkeeper-batter, known for fearless batting, loaded with unreal aggression to enormous cricketing talent, showcased his fireworks in the domestic level and the grand IPL stage.
Listening to fireworks and aggression, if anyone thinks his greatness is limited to the white-ball format, that would be a grave error. Setting the domestic circuit ablaze with red-ball brilliance, the fearless batter forced his way into Team India in 2021, earning his debut against England on the back of pure, undeniable impact.
In 60 international matches, he scored 1807 runs across the format. With some unreal knocks, he scored his maiden ODI double ton against Bangladesh. With the 210-run knock, he became the first batter to convert a maiden ODI century into a sensational double ton.
From 2021-23, he became the silver spoon for Team India as the Men in Blue registered some of the best victories for the side. From a dream debut to living moments most youngsters only fantasies about, Kishan seemed to be living the fairytale every rising cricketer dares to imagine.
A step back, then the fall no one saw coming
In life, nothing goes perfectly, as the world's ‘perfect’ is a myth. As Ishan Kishan was at the peak of his career, he never even expected what a heartbreaking twist was coming along his way. As Team India marched into 2023, the rising star found himself battling form and fatigue, making the bold call to step away from cricket, citing mental fatigue.
That might look normal, but what followed would turn into the most heartbreaking twist of his journey. Snubbed from the BCCI’s central contract in 2024, Ishan Kishan has since vanished from the iconic blue jersey, leaving fans wondering how one of India’s brightest stars slipped into silence.
Heroes don’t slow down; they push harder
Ishan Kishan has been away from the national setup for the last two years, but does that mean the wicketkeeper-batter is away from the game? Absolutely now. For him, the bat and ball matter more than the spotlight, and hard work always speaks louder than selection. Being snubbed from the national side, Ishan returned to his roots, where it all started.
Returning to the red-ball format at the domestic level, the batter fumbled but never gave up, not even for a single time. As the 2024 season ended in struggle, the 2025 domestic cricket season held some remarkable success stories for young batters.
In the iconic Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season, Ishan started off the journey with a massive twist. Facing Tamil Nadu in the opening encounter, his exceptional innings of 173 runs turned heads, speaking loudly about his sheer brilliance.
Wrapping up the red-ball assignment, Ishan Kishan shifted his focus to the limited-over format, but the intent remained the same. Leading Jharkhand from the front, he smashed, strategized, and inspired his way to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, leaving fans and critics stunned.
But did he only lead? No, he shone, conquered, and gave a loud message to the national selectors, for an India call-up. In 10 matches, he scored 517 runs, including two centuries, and finished as the highest run scorer of the tournament. Yet it was his breathtaking century in the final that truly announced his class to the world.
What else does Ishan Kishan need to make India notice?
Even the toughest battles have an end, but Ishan Kishan’s comeback story is still waiting to be written. Right after the India snub, the Indian batter embraced every opportunity. From conquering the domestic stage to making waves in the IPL, Ishan spread his magic. In IPL 2024 and in 2025, he crossed a 300+ runs tally.
When he received an India A call-up, fans hoped high for an international comeback, but hope remained hope as reality turned into something else. The T20 World Cup 2026 is commencing soon, and Ishan Kishan is riding on the prime of his T20I form. If Team India doesn’t bring him in now, the question is simple — when will they?
Once he was called ‘not interest about representing the nation’. But if a series of heroics doesn’t define his passion, what else can prove his commitment? Whenever he got an opportunity. He lived in that moment, delivered some clutch performances, ticking all the boxes right.
Channeling excellence across the formats, Ishan has done his job. Now it's the time for the selectors to reward his hard work. Team India’s batting needs a revamp in the T20 format, and Ishan Kishan’s current form is a perfect fit.
Honestly, it's not just the batter himself, as the entire nation wants Ishan Kishan in the iconic Blue jersey. No one knows how many more jaw-dropping knocks, heroics, or trials it will take, but fans are united in their cheer: “Touch the sky, Ishan!”
