‘I’m not expecting anything’ – Ishan Kishan, out of Indian team, knows his job is to just keep performing

On Thursday, December 18 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, Ishan Kishan guided Jharkhand to their first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) victory. Jharkhand defeated Haryana in the final by 69 runs to win the premier Indian 20-over domestic championship.

Ishan Kishan, who got a century in the finals, was excellent all season.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, who has been out of the Indian team for some time, has stated that it is natural for any cricketer to feel guilty when his or her name is not included in the Indian squad. However, the Patna native added that maintaining expectations following a stellar performance will simply exacerbate his disappointment if he is not chosen.

“I know you fancy your chances a lot of times, and when you don’t see your name, you just feel bad about it. I’m not in that zone anymore. I’m not expecting anything. My job is to just keep performing,” Kishan smiled and was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

“When I was not selected for the Indian team, I felt quite bad because I was doing well. But I told myself that if I am not selected despite this sort of performance, then maybe I have to do more. Maybe I have to make my team win. Maybe we have to do well as a unit,” Kishan said.

The left-handed batter further said that it is very significant for him as a player to not let the frustration get over his head, as he feels that it only takes one down from where they are. According to him, the focus for a player should only and only be at the desired position or whatever a player wants to achieve in their respective careers.

“It’s important that you don’t allow frustration to get to you. This is my message to all the youngsters: frustration is something that will take you one step down. At the same time, you need to put in a lot of hard work, believe in yourself, and just focus on what you need to achieve,” Kishan added.