SMAT: ‘Baahubali’ Ishan Kishan not fretting over India recall

PUNE: Ishan Kishan, 27, doesn't shy away from showing his emotions. He expresses them on and off the field. A dash of drama helps him make his point. There was, of course, plenty of drama as Kishan scored a typically swashbuckling 49-ball 101 to not only lead Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title but also signal his readiness for an international comeback.

Afterwards, while talking about playing domestic cricket, he quoted a dialogue from the popular movie ‘Baahubali’, saying, “Raja kahin bhi chala jaaye, raja hamesha raja hi hota hai (No matter where the king goes, he always remains a king).” He added, “Have you seen Baahubali? There’s a dialogue in the film that applies perfectly. Wherever you play, the importance remains the same. Whether it’s international cricket or domestic cricket, every match matters.

You want to win tournaments, win matches, and even when you lose, you must hold your nerve and keep believing in yourself,” Ishan told TOI after the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final.

The Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter has been out of the Indian team since 2023. He admits that being out hurts, but says he has moved past the phase when he used to get frustrated. “When I wasn’t selected for the team, I felt pretty bad even though I was doing well.

But instead of complaining, I told myself I need to do more: make my team win, perform consistently and contribute as a unit. I spent a lot of time working on my batting, understanding where I was going wrong, identifying mistakes and correcting them one by one,” he said. “Frustration pulls you down. It never helps. What matters is hard work, self-be lief and keeping things simple. Focus on what’s important for your game.

If you keep doing the right things consistently, results will follow,” he said. His knock of 101 off 49 balls against Haryana on Thursday may or may not impress selectors. However, Ishan said he wasn’t fretting over it. “I know you fancy it a lot of times, but when you don’t see your name on the list, you don’t feel good and get upset. I’m out of that zone right now. I’m not expecting anything. I’m only focused on doing my job.

My job is to keep performing and I’ll do that,” said Ishan, who has played 2 Tests, 27 ODIs and 32 T20Is.

Ishan last played international cricket in 2023, after which he was dropped from all three formats. He said he got a lot of support from his family. “Looking back now, it’s easier to talk about it calmly. But at that time, I think my mental strength came from my family. They never put pressure on me. They always believed I would make a comeback, even when I doubted myself at times. That support gave me confidence,” the left-handed opener said.