New Delhi: “You went to the farm for a month, I will stay for two years. (You were out of form for a month; I was out of the team for two years). These were the words of Ishan Kishan When he interrupted Abhishek Sharma to answer a question about the struggles in the mixed zone after India’s T20 World Cup title win in Ahmedabad.It was indeed a fun one, but underneath those words, one can understand how deeply Ishan Kishan wanted to return to the Indian team after being unceremoniously dropped in 2023, when he asked for time off citing mental fatigue. But he has spun it with his bat while doing all the talking.
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 2026 Indian Premier League in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins, who is likely to miss the tournament.The southpaw scored 317 runs during India’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign and is currently second in the T20I rankings for batsmen. Ishan is just behind Abhishek Sharma, whom he has overtaken in the race to captain Sunrisers Hyderabad.
AHMEDABAD, INDIA – MARCH 08: Ishan Kishan of India writes to a TV camera as he celebrates victory after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India vs Sri Lanka 2026 final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Abhishek Sharma, who has been part of the SRH setup for the past seven seasons, was also in contention for the captaincy. However, the 24-year-old missed out on his Indian teammate due to Ishaan’s proven leadership record. Abhishek also leads Punjab in domestic cricket, but Ishan Kishan has been exceptional leading 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 century in the final against Haryana.Former India cricketer Shehbaz Nadeem, who has watched Ishan closely since his Ranji Trophy debut at the age of 16, describes his state mate as a natural leader.
Captaincy is something that comes naturally. Leaders are born. You cannot make a leader. He has this attitude. I have seen it up close.
Shahbaz Nadeem Former cricketer of India and Jharkhand
Shahbaz Nadeem, now joint secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association, told The Times of India, “He has been captaining for a long time now. He led India in the U-19 World Cup and captained Jharkhand for a while. I think SRH made a good decision to appoint him as captain.” Shahbaz Nadeem, who is now the Joint Secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association.“Captainship is something that comes naturally. Leaders are born. You can’t make leaders. He has this attitude. I have seen it up close. 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 that opponents fear, and Ishaan has been instrumental in making that happen,” added Nadeem, one of Jharkhand’s longest-serving players.Nadeem identified two key qualities in Ishaan: his ability to connect with youngsters and his quick reading of the game from behind the stumps.
Ishan Kishan of India runs his way 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 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
“He puts all the youngsters at ease and gives them freedom. You never feel like there is a captain in your midst. He is just another teammate. He tries to guide the youngsters on and off the pitch and has a rare ability to bring out the best in them.” He said.“Another thing is that he is a wicket-keeper. A keeper naturally reads the game better. A captain fielding at mid-on, mid-off or slip often relies on the keeper, because they understand the pitch better and have the best position. While batting you follow a plan but while fielding captaincy is most important. If your captain is a keeper, it gives you an added advantage,” he added.
Poll
How has Ishan Kishan’s leadership affected Jharkhand’s performance in domestic cricket?
Nadeem believes that Ishan’s domestic grind has played a key role in his return to the Indian team and that SRH’s decision to back his leadership will pay off.He said that captaincy in domestic cricket is more difficult than in IPL, in IPL you have the best domestic and overseas players while in domestic cricket the overall quality is more diverse. He has been given the SRH captaincy due to his domestic performances and I am sure he will do well.
