My performance will inspire youngsters: Ishan Kishan

PATNA: In early 2024, it seemed like it was all over Ishan Kishan. The left-handed batsman was removed from the BCCI’s central contract list for taking a break during the tour of South Africa and not playing domestic cricket despite the board’s orders.Kishan, who proved he belongs with the best after playing a key role in helping India defend their T20 World Cup title two years later, received a hero’s welcome when he returned to Patna on Tuesday.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!“My performance and the team’s success are a huge motivation for young children from Bihar and elsewhere who are eager to grow in the game,” the wicketkeeper-batsman said.“I feel like the better I perform, the more motivation I can provide for the kids here who want to move forward,” he said.

Despite his success on the field, Kishan faced a heartbreaking loss on the field as his cousin, Patna High Court advocate Vaishnavi Singh and her husband Ritwik Thakur were killed in a road accident a day before Saturday’s final. However, he did not let the painful defeat affect him and scored 54 goals from 25 balls in the final. Ishan also scored 77 runs off 40 balls against Pakistan and 61 off 24 balls against Namibia, taking his total to 317 runs in 9 games.This isn’t the first time he’s overcome adversity.Last year, he re-signed a BCCI central contract and led Jharkhand to win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he emerged as the top scorer with 517 runs. This was enough to earn a call-up to the national team for the T20 World Cup, and he did not disappoint.“Being in the World Cup now, it shows that you just have to work hard and you can move on from anywhere,” Kishan added.