"For maybe a year and a half, he was in oblivion" - Former India keeper on Ishan Kishan's selection in 2026 T20 World Cup squad

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has lauded Ishan Kishan for making a return to the Men in Blue's 2026 T20 World Cup squad on the back of sheer performances. He highlighted that the Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter was virtually in oblivion in the last one-and-a-half years or so.

The selectors recently picked a 15-member Indian squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup to be played in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Kishan and Sanju Samson are the two wicketkeeper-batters to make the side.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Saba was asked about Kishan's inclusion in India's 2026 T20 World Cup squad.

"Comebacks are not easy, more so when you live in such a competitive environment. Ishan Kishan knew very well that for him to get back into the national setup, he needed to score tons of runs, and he has done that. I think he justified his selection with the kind of value he brings to the side," the former India selector responded. "To bat in such an explosive manner in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and then to get his side to win their first Mushtaq Ali championship speaks highly of this young cricketer. For maybe a year and a half, he was in oblivion, but for him to come back on sheer performance and nothing else speaks highly of Ishan's character and the kind of person he has grown into now," he added.

With 517 runs at an average of 57.44 in 10 innings, Ishan Kishan was the highest run-scorer in the recently concluded 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He smashed 101 runs off 49 deliveries in Jharkhand's 69-run win in the summit clash against Haryana in Pune on December 18.

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"Once the name of Ishan Kishan pops up, unfortunately, Jitesh Sharma doesn't find a place in the 15" - Saba Karim

Ishan Kishan pipped Jitesh Sharma to the second wicketkeeper-batter's spot. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, Saba Karim noted that Jitesh Sharma couldn't have been a part of India's 2026 T20 World Cup squad once Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan were chosen as the two wicketkeeper-batters.

"I also feel that once you decide that Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson will play in your opening slot as a wicketkeeper, then you look at having a backup opener, and then once the name of Ishan Kishan pops up, unfortunately, Jitesh Sharma doesn't find a place in the 15," he said.

While observing that Kishan's inclusion opened up a spot for Rinku Singh, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that the two wicketkeeper-batters' selection was the biggest call taken by the selectors.

"That's how Rinku Singh comes in. The biggest call for the selectors was to keep Sanju Samson in the XI as a wicketkeeper-batter, and then to pick Ishan as a backup opener and wicketkeeper. Once you do that, then the combination that Ajit Agarkar and Suryakumar Yadav were talking about in the press conference, all that comes into picture," Saba observed.

Ishan Kishan has aggregated 796 runs at a strike rate of 124.37 in 32 T20I innings. He has amassed 5,787 runs at a strike rate of 138.21 in 207 T20 innings.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer