East Zone batter Ishan Kishan confirmed leading Jharkhand restored his international focus after hitting 270 during the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone.
The 28-year-old lost his central contract in late 2023 following a prolonged absence from the national setup.
Kishan returned to domestic cricket the following year and assumed state leadership duties. Addressing the media at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the wicketkeeper-batter explained that managing teammates shifted his perspective and curbed his previous “wild child” behaviour.
Embracing Domestic Leadership Duties
The left-hander indicated that evaluating broader match situations improved his personal temperament. Before advancing past a monumental double century, Kishan anchored the East Zone innings to secure a towering 708 first-innings total.
“Going through this whole process leads to immense personal growth, and while you might not realise it immediately, your mindset shifts completely, and you become much calmer about things,” Kishan said.
He added that the role forced him to prioritise score-building over individual aggression. Having dominated the opening exchanges, the batter maintained steady shot selection to exhaust the South Zone bowling attack in Chennai.
“It was a very good innings because I always kept the team goal first. I could have played attacking shots in many moments, but I think when you are batting on such a big stage, it is very important to prioritise what the team decides on the total first,” he added.
Selectors will evaluate Kishan for a red-ball recall ahead of the impending international calendar.
