'Captaincy helped me grow': Ishan Kishan after scoring historic double-century
What's the story
Indian batter Ishan Kishan has credited his captaincy experience for his improved batting skills. After scoring an impressive double-century for East Zone against South in the 2026 Duleep Trophy final, Kishan opened up about how leading Jharkhand to a Syed Mushtaq Ali title victory last year helped him grow as a player. He said that being a captain requires constant situational awareness and looking out for teammates' growth.
Growth impact
Captain's role in team growth
Speaking to reporters after Day 2 of the final, Kishan emphasized the importance of a captain's role in helping teammates improve.
He said, "When you are the captain, it becomes your duty to help them." This selfless approach, he believes, is key to achieving team goals.
Kishan also noted that this process of looking out for others leads to immense personal growth and a complete shift in mindset over time.
Career transition
Challenges of being dropped from national team
Kishan spoke about the challenges of being dropped from the national squad and returning to domestic cricket.
He said that while being a regular player for India, one can become stagnant in their growth. However, when they return to domestic cricket, they start from scratch and get an opportunity to reflect on their past performances and improve.
Notably, Kishan was out of the Indian setup for nearly two years before making a successful comeback in 2025.
Batting philosophy
Mindset shift over time
Kishan shared his thoughts on batting, saying it doesn't change much, but the mindset does over time.
He said, "You start thinking, 'I need to get even better,' because today, there are so many players scoring runs. To get back into the team, your only option is to perform much better than them. You get time to reflect on what you missed earlier, why you couldn't convert your starts into big scores."
Record
Double-century in Duleep Trophy final
In the ongoing Duleep Trophy final, Kishan scored 270 off 334 balls (30 fours and 7 sixes). He took East Zone to 708 against South Zone in Chennai.
Kishan now has the second-highest individual score in the Duleep Trophy final. He is only behind the late Raman Lamba, who scored 320 against West Zone in the 1987/88 final.