'When I was not in the team ... ': How Ishan Kishan backed himself to turn things around

NEW DELHI — Ishan Kishan is no longer waiting in the wings; he is front and centre of Indian cricket’s spotlight. A glittering 2026 T20 World Cup campaign that yielded 317 runs at a strike-rate above 193, two Player-of-the-Match awards and, ultimately, the trophy, has catapulted the wicket-keeper batter into uncharted territory. The latest milestone: captaining Sunrisers Hyderabad when the IPL 2026 season begins on 28 March against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

SRH released a video on Wednesday in which Kishan, still soaking in the accolade, outlined his leadership mantra: keep it simple, keep it fun, keep it present. “I am very overwhelmed, and I am very happy that I got this opportunity to lead this team,” he said. “Players come for IPL, I think they are all very good players. You just need to make sure that they are on the right track and their mindset does not change after a few innings.”

The 26-year-old’s ascent is rooted in a conscious refusal to let external noise dent self-belief. “When I was not in the team, there was always this feeling that I would make it to the team anyhow, because I knew that the amount of hard work I would do would be the most important thing. You always need to believe in yourself,” he explained, crediting manifestation as much as meticulous preparation.

That preparation played out in domestic arenas long before global stages. Last season Kishan led Jharkhand to its maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, amassing 517 runs in 10 innings, including two centuries and two fifties. The mountain of runs not only silenced doubters but reinforced a message he is eager to broadcast: “This will be a message to so many guys, whoever is losing track or whoever is not believing in themselves... they are supposed to believe and just keep on working hard. Things will change.”

Reflecting on the World Cup triumph, Kishan labelled the experience “the best few days of my life,” praising a squad that peaked when it mattered most. “There was a lot of hard work going on. A few of them were not in form, but when the time was there, when it was needed the most, everyone played the best possible cricket.”

Now, as IPL 2026 looms, Kishan’s focus narrows to translating white-ball momentum into franchise success. “We will make sure we just stay in the present, we just keep it simple and do as much hard work as we can before the match starts. But in the match, we are just going to enjoy the game and take one match at a time.”

For a player once on the periphery, Ishan Kishan has turned patience into power, belief into breakthroughs, and a comeback story into captaincy. His journey, he hopes, will serve as a roadmap for every cricketer told they are surplus to requirements: back yourself, put in the work, and the narrative can flip in a single season.