Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan revealed that he did not waste time sulking over his near two-year absence from the Indian team. Instead, he concentrated on enhancing his game and piling up runs to regain consistency.
Focus on runs, not sympathy
Kishan returned to the India setup earlier this year for the T20I series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup after impressive performances in domestic cricket. He led Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title and scored over 500 runs.
"When I wasn't playing and was out of the team, I told myself I can't cry or sulk about it. It's the easiest thing to do for any sportsman. It might earn you the sympathy of a few people, you might even feel good about it, but it won't get you anywhere," Kishan told JioHotstar, as quoted by PTI.
"The only thing that could have gotten me back into the reckoning was runs. So, I just wanted to improve my game and score as many runs as I could, even if that meant hitting more sixes than any other batter."
Value of consistency
The time away from the national side heightened his focus on domestic cricket and helped him understand the importance of consistency.
"Only consistent run-scoring can bring you back into the team. If 300 runs in a season are not enough, score 400; if not that, score 500. At the end of the day, cricket is our daily bread."
"When you're out of the team, you understand its importance and start respecting every game. You become hungrier, and that was my focus: to become the best," he added.
Batting role at No. 3
Discussing his batting role, Kishan said playing at number three has helped him understand how to build innings and stay at the crease longer.
"After having played for so many years as a No. 3 batter, if you are set, you look to score big and bat till the end. It makes the job easier for the other batters with you, as they don't feel the pressure."
"That is my only thinking, to keep things as simple as I can, be in a good headspace, and just take it one match at a time. If we play good cricket, the rest of the team will learn from it."
"In the end, it's a team sport. When you play good cricket, it rubs off on the others. I have also made a lot of mistakes, so my only aim is not to repeat them, which unfortunately, I did in the end in this game," he added.
IPL performance
In the IPL match in Jaipur on Saturday, Kishan came in at his usual position and scored 74 off 31 balls as Sunrisers Hyderabad chased down a 229-run target set by Rajasthan Royals.
