With Christmas week rolling in, Indian cricket has served up a rather heart-warming surprise. For Ishan Kishan, this festive season might just be the best he’s had in years. After a long spell in the wilderness, Ishan Kishan back in India team feels like a gift earned the hard way. His explosive run in domestic cricket, especially Ishan Kishan in SMAT, ensured the selectors simply couldn’t look the other way. The result? A spot in the India T20 World Cup squad, and a reminder that redemption stories still exist in modern cricket.
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SMAT Fireworks That Changed Everything
If you’re wondering what exactly forced the selectors’ hands, the answer lies squarely in Ishan Kishan in SMAT. Leading Jharkhand from the front, Kishan didn’t just score runs; he dismantled bowling attacks with intent and joy. Across 10 innings, he piled up 517 runs at an astonishing average of 57.44 and a strike rate touching 200. Two fifties, two hundreds, and a blistering century in the final told a story of a batter who knew what was at stake.
Leading from the front! 🫡
Ishan Kishan with a magnificent hundred in the #SMAT final 💯
The Jharkhand captain walks back for 1⃣0⃣1⃣(49) 👏
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/3fGWDCTjoo@IDFCFIRSTBank | @ishankishan51 pic.twitter.com/PJ7VI752wp
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) December 18, 2025
This wasn’t slogging for highlights; it was calculated aggression, sharp wicketkeeping, and leadership that culminated in Jharkhand lifting their maiden title. By the time the dust settled, Ishan Kishan back in India team felt less like a gamble and more like common sense.
Why the Selectors Looked His Way?
When the India T20 World Cup squad was announced, eyebrows were raised, and not just because of Kishan’s return. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar was refreshingly candid in explaining the thinking behind it.
“We are looking at combinations. Our thought was to have another keeper. Gill is a quality player, unfortunate to miss out, but it is the combination we want. Ishan bats at the top, he has been in good form, and played before for India.”
Agarkar went further, clarifying the depth chart and the tactical angle.
“He wasn’t there because Jurel and Pant were ahead. Sanju is at the top. Ishan at the top. That is the combination we are looking at right now. We felt he is the best back up keeper at this point,” said Agarkar.
It was also confirmed why Shubman Gill, a player long backed by the BCCI, missed out.
“Shubman Gill is short of runs at the moment and missed last WC too,” chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said at the press conference.
In a format obsessed with impact, Ishan Kishan back in India team reflects a shift toward aggression, flexibility, and left-right balance — something Gill, despite his class, couldn’t offer at this moment.
Shubman Gill Ruled Out of T20 World Cup — Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan Step Into Spotlight
A Tactical Shift, Not a Popular One
Dropping Gill was never going to be universally applauded, but the selectors made it clear this was about roles, not reputations. Captain Suryakumar Yadav echoed that view bluntly. “It’s not about Gill’s form. We wanted to have a keeper at the top,” skipper Suryakumar said on Gill’s omission.
Ishan Kishan makes it onto the bus at the last moment to join India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, while the dreams of a few others are left behind. #IshanKishan #T20WorldCup2026 #ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/r4ilp4AtwN
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) December 22, 2025
In that context, Ishan Kishan in SMAT became impossible to ignore. A left-handed wicketkeeper who can go hard in the powerplay is a rare commodity, and the India T20 World Cup squad now reflects that thinking. Kishan’s inclusion also meant tough calls elsewhere, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jitesh Sharma missing out, underlining how fiercely competitive this space has become.
🚨 CAPTAIN ISHAN KISHAN 🚨
– Ishan Kishan will lead Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy starting on Wednesday. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/yLS7SCXt3F
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 22, 2025
From Setbacks to Selection
What makes Ishan Kishan back in India team even more compelling is the road he travelled to get here. Disciplinary issues, loss of central contract, patchy IPL returns, and forgettable Ranji outings could have derailed many careers. Instead, Kishan doubled down on domestic cricket. Solid runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, a confident IPL season, and finally the SMAT masterclass stitched together a comeback built on performances, not promises.
A Mother’s Tears Say It All
Perhaps the most touching moment of this entire story came away from the scorecards. When Kishan returned home after his selection, emotions spilled over. Speaking to News18, his mother summed up years of struggle and belief in one moving quote:
“Nothing much, I was just praying, and tears came. He worked so hard and got the reward. God truly listened to a mother and to hard work. God has listened to the effort Ishan put in,” Ishan’s mother said.
In that moment, Ishan Kishan back in India team stopped being a headline and became a human story of faith, patience, and perseverance finally paying off.
The wait was long, the grind was real… Welcome back, Ishan 🇮🇳
[Ishan Kishan | Play With Fire] pic.twitter.com/FLquzdUozi— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) December 20, 2025
Conclusion
As India prepare to defend their crown, Ishan Kishan in SMAT has already reshaped conversations around selection philosophy. The India T20 World Cup squad now leans decisively toward fearless intent at the top, and Kishan’s job is clear: bring chaos early and keep standards high behind the stumps.
