Former opener Kris Srikkanth has thrown his support behind Ishan Kishan’s inclusion in the Indian squad for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup. While acknowledging the unfortunate omissions of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jitesh Sharma, Srikkanth highlighted Kishan’s versatility as a keeper-batter and opener as the key factor in his selection.
India recently announced their 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, with Kishan making a comeback on the back of his stellar performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill and Jitesh were left out, with Rinku Singh earning a recall.
Speaking about India’s squad selection on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth praised the decision to pick Kishan ahead of Gill, Jitesh, and Jaiswal. He explained, “Yashasvi Jaiswal, I feel bad for him. He was unlucky, but Ishan Kishan doubles up as a wicketkeeper and opening batsman. That’s where he scores over Jitesh Sharma and Gill and Jaiswal. Ishan Kishan is also an outstanding cricketer. When he gets going, he just gets going. Ishan Kishan’s selection is fantastic.”
Kishan’s selection was largely based on his remarkable performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he emerged as the leading run-scorer. In 10 innings, he amassed 517 runs at an average of 57.44 and a staggering strike rate of 197.32, including two centuries and two half-centuries.
Further analyzing Kishan’s return to the national team, Srikkanth commended the selectors for recognizing domestic performances. He emphasized the importance of rewarding players based on their on-field performances, stating, “The selectors have looked into domestic cricket. Kishan has come in by sheer virtue of scores and performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The plus point is that he not only scored runs but also ensured that his team won. Very happy for Kishan. He hit a double hundred and was in the World Cup team as well, but then just disappeared.”
In the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, leading Jharkhand, Kishan played a scintillating knock of 101 off 49 balls against Haryana. His aggressive innings, which included six fours and 10 sixes, helped Jharkhand post a formidable total of 262-3. Subsequently, Haryana were bowled out for 193 as Jharkhand clinched the title by 69 runs.
Overall, Srikkanth’s endorsement of Kishan’s selection for the T20 World Cup underscores the importance of performance-based selections and the value of versatility in a player’s skill set. With Kishan’s inclusion, India will be hoping for a strong showing in the upcoming tournament.
