Ahmedabad, March 9 When Suryakumar Yadav called Ishan Kishan to confirm his place in India's T20 World Cup squad, the captain asked the aggressive batsman, "Will you win the World Cup?"
Kishan, never one to shy away from making a statement, responded with his own question, "Will you have faith in me?"
The brief conversation ended with Suryakumar confirming his faith, and Kishan delivered with 241 runs in the tournament, including a stunning half-century in the crucial final here on Sunday.
"Suryabhai called me when the team was about to meet. I even took a screenshot because I knew he was calling about the World Cup team. He asked me directly, 'Will you win the World Cup?'"
"I asked him, 'Will you have faith in me?' He said 'yes,' and that was it," Kishan said, beaming after India's title victory, secured with a 96-run win over New Zealand in the final here on Sunday night.
However, the night before the final was far from easy for the Jharkhand player, who plays for Bihar. He was dealing with a deeply personal loss.
Kishan revealed that he had learned about the death of his cousin sister in an accident just days earlier. It was a painful piece of news that weighed heavily on his mind before the biggest game of the tournament.
Speaking about the emotional turmoil, Kishan said he decided to channel his feelings into focused batting.
"To be honest, before the game I wasn't planning on saying this, but I will say it. My cousin sister passed away in a car accident, and I found out about it a few days ago. She always wanted me to score big runs," Kishan said, his voice filled with pain.
"I wasn't feeling very well yesterday, but today was a big day, so rather than letting my emotions affect the game, I decided to score runs for her," he said.
He explained that after reaching his half-century, he felt a sense of relief and gratitude for achieving it for his late sister.
"When I scored my fifty, it was for her. It was like saying, 'This one is for my sister.' I'm very proud that we won today. I feel for her family, but my close friends are here to take care of them."
"There were a lot of things going on inside me today, and I just wanted to perform," he said.
Kishan admitted that the emotional pressure made the build-up to the match difficult, but he reminded himself of the team's needs.
"Since last night, I wasn't feeling well, and I kept thinking about what had happened. But at the end of the day, you have to keep the team ahead because cricket is not just about individual performance."
"I was just looking to score as many runs as possible, even though there were questions in my mind about why good people sometimes face bad situations," he added.
Even as the tournament unfolded under intense scrutiny, Kishan insisted that the Indian dressing room thrived on simplicity and mutual trust.
Reflecting on the team environment, he said that the players focused on staying present rather than getting overwhelmed by the occasion.
"The World Cup is always a very big stage, and there's pressure and nervousness. But the key here is to focus on the right shots and keep things simple."
"When you keep things simple, it becomes easier for a player," he said.
He also credited the support system within the squad for maintaining clarity of thought.
"When you see everyone in the team, you understand the environment, whether there is fear or confidence. This time, the belief throughout the World Cup was very strong."
"The coach and captain gave everyone freedom and never doubted the players, and when you get that backing, you want to change the game yourself," Kishan said.
For Kishan personally, the last couple of years have been about learning to detach from the noise and expectations that come with international cricket.
Reflecting on that journey, he said he has stopped over-thinking about his place or future.
"To be honest, in the last two years, I have stopped overthinking. I don't think about where I will bat or whether I will be in the team tomorrow because that is not in my control."
"The most important thing I have learned is to just keep doing your work, keep working hard, and not worry about the results," Kishan concluded.
Drawing inspiration from senior players like Virat Kohli, Kishan added that he has learned how to manage his energy.
"I admire Virat a lot because of the way he has used his energy for so many years. That was important for me to understand, what I can change in myself."
"Skills don't change much...So I just keep doing my work now. I've stopped thinking too much," Kishan signed off.
