By Tannistha Dey
Ishan Kishan, the captain of Jharkhand, was very honest about the fact that he had never been on the Indian team, even though he did amazingly well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Final, scoring a century that won the game.
Kishan struck an exquisite 101 in just 49 balls to lead his team, Jharkhand, to a historical win in the final against Haryana on Thursday. This stalwart performance not only won the finals but also brought an exceptional contribution to the tournament, where he was already the leading run scorer.
Although he has dominated on the domestic front, Kishan has not been playing for the Indian team since 2023. Reacting to the reason behind the omission, the 26-year-old cricketer has admitted that the decision had affected him emotionally. “When I was not selected for the Indian team, I felt quite bad because I was doing well,” Kishan said, referring to the reaction he experienced on being left out of the team, as quoted by Sportstar. He further added, “I told myself that if I am not selected despite doing such good work, maybe I have to do more. Maybe I have to make my team win and perform as a unit.”
However, Kishan emphasized that managing frustration, particularly among young cricketers, would be essential if they want to make it into the Indian team. “Frustration is something that will take you one step down. You need to keep working hard, believe in yourself and focus on what you need to achieve,” Kishan said.
With the BCCI selectors expected to announce their squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup soon, Kishan said that he did not feel any pressure regarding his performance ahead of the marquee event. He explained that earlier he used to believe he had a chance and would feel embarrassed if his name was not included, but admitted that he was no longer at that level and was simply focusing on his performance. Describing the victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as the happiest moment in his career, Kishan stated that the achievement was crucial as a captain. He pointed out that the team had never won a domestic tournament before and saw it as an opportunity to prove themselves. According to Kishan,the championship victory has lifted his levels of confidence and believing in his potential to turn the results by his performance.