‘I was in bad shape, I was out of the field for two years’: Ishan Kishan’s smart response to Abhishek Sharma | Cricket News –

New Delhi: Young Indian cricketers Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma spoke candidly about their journeys of struggle, criticism and self-confidence after playing key roles in India’s victory in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Both batsmen hit half-centuries in the final as India defeated the New Zealand national cricket team by 96 runs on Sunday to clinch their third T20 World Cup title.

India had previously won the tournament in 2007 and 2024.Kishan was one of India’s standout players throughout the tournament, scoring three half-centuries. But Abhishek faced a more difficult journey before reaching the final.

The left-handed opener faced severe criticism after failing to score in his first three matches in the tournament, where he scored weak goals against the United States, Pakistan and the Netherlands.

He finally broke the streak against South Africa but could only manage 15 runs. A knock of 55 against Zimbabwe briefly lifted his confidence, but he struggled again in the next matches, scoring only 10 and 9 against the West Indies and England.Despite the poor performance, the team’s management continued to support him. Their faith paid off in the most important match of the tournament. In the final over, Abhishek put in a stunning performance, smashing 52 off just 21 balls, including an eight off two, to give India a blistering start.

Kishan’s journey to the World Cup was not easy at all. He spent a long period outside the national team and was left off the central contract list. However, he continued to work hard and patiently waited for his opportunity.In the end, the wicketkeeper-batsman has earned his place back in the team after leading Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title earlier this year.After India’s win in Ahmedabad, both the players addressed the media and talked about overcoming difficult phases in their careers.When asked about how he deals with setbacks, Abhishek started to respond before Kishan interrupted him, joking that his struggles had lasted longer, sparking laughter in the room.“I can also answer that. I was in bad shape for a month and spent two years out of the team,” Kishan said as the duo burst into laughter.Reflecting on how he manages to maintain his mental strength, Kishan stressed the importance of faith and resilience.“I think the most important thing for me is self-confidence. Because once you get into the zone of self-doubt, it puts pressure on your game. That doesn’t help individually and it doesn’t help the team either. So, self-confidence, hard work and when you help others in their bad times, it comes back to you as well,” Ishan said.He added that his time in domestic cricket helped him change his perspective and focus on contributing more to the team environment.“So, this is what I learned at the domestic level. Instead of focusing on myself only, I thought why shouldn’t I take the entire team forward…. Enjoy good company, do hard work, be happy and never lose confidence in yourself. You should definitely improve your game,” said Kishan, who led Jharkhand to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year.After Kishan finished, Abhishek – who dominated the bowlers in the final – took to the microphone to share his thoughts.“Your company is very important in these times. If you are surrounded by people who are there to make you happy and make you feel that you have achieved something. Everyone (in the team) was very supportive and very happy. All the players, coaches and support staff, I don’t see any doubt on anyone’s face even though I was doubting myself,” Abhishek said.