WATCH | Ishan Kishan's first reaction after T20 World Cup 2026 call-up

Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has shared his first reaction after making a comeback to the Indian cricket team following a long gap of two years. Kishan has been included in India’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The 27-year-old last played for India in a T20I against Australia in Nov 2023. After two years of hard work in domestic cricket, Kishan has finally earned the chance to wear the Indian jersey again. He recently led Jharkhand to their first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, scoring a spectacular century in the final.

Following his selection, Kishan expressed his happiness at returning to the national team. “Thank you so much. It feels great to be back in the Indian team. The entire Jharkhand squad contributed to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph,” Kishan told ANI.

Also Read - Why India left out Gill from T20 World Cup squad? Selector Ajit Agarkar explains

Watch the video

From the last two years, Kishan has focused fully on domestic cricket, working hard to regain his form. In the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 517 runs in 10 innings at an average of 57.44, with a strike rate of over 197.

His most impressive performance came in the final, where he scored 101 off 49 balls against Haryana, hitting six fours and ten sixes. He led Jharkhand to a total of 262/3 and earned the Player of the Match award in their 69-run victory.

Also Read - India’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule: Check dates, venues, groups and key matches

Selectors speaks on Gill's exclusion

The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, announced India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday (Dec 20). In a surprise move, Shubman Gill, India’s T20 vice-captain, was left out of the 15-member squad.

The selectors quickly clarified that Gill’s exclusion was not about his talent but a tactical decision based on the team combination India wants for the tournament, especially at the top of the batting order.

India T20 World Cup 2026 squad

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar and Ishan Kishan