CHENNAI: Twelve years after making his first-class debut for Jharkhand as a 16-year-old, Ishan Kishan has gone from a teenage prodigy to an Indian regular across formats. But that story saw a cruel twist, when Ishan Kishan lost his central contract, and was forced to find his bearing in domestic cricket.
Not only did he go through the motions but also ensured that he helped Jharkhand to a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2025/26, with 517 runs in the competition, including a 49-ball 101 in the final against Haryana. It didn’t stop there, as Kishan struck 155 runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy across three games, at 231.34, forcing comebacks in both limited-overs format.
But that last piece of the puzzle – Test comeback – still remains. Jharkhand and East Zone’s head coach Ratan Kumar was fully convinced with the left-hander’s display.
"I am fully satisfied [with Kishan’s display]. Looking at how he played last year—in his first Ranji Trophy match, he scored 175 against Tamil Nadu at Coimbatore. After that, he never looked back. In T20s, he put in outstanding performances, scored a hundred in the final, and then went on to the World Cup—he simply reached another level,” Ratan said.
Kishan carried on his domestic form into the Duleep Trophy, where he hit a breathtaking 270 and 80 in the final against South Zone. While the 270 captured headlines, Ratan was left impressed with the left-hander’s efforts in the second innings where he batted one spot higher.
"In the first innings, considering what he [Kishan] had achieved previously, it was very tough to play. He was exhausted and also dealing with a headache. Yet, he went out for the team—as you saw, he even batted a spot higher—to push the team ahead and take the game away from the opposition. It was great cricket,” Ratan added.
Equally impressive was Kishan’s demeanour on the field, both in terms of temperament and tactics. He gave short quick burst spells to his pace bowlers on the placid Chepauk surface, and also was constantly rotating his bowlers and fielders. Off the field, Kishan surrounded himself around the younger lot, helping them get acclimated to the pressure.
"When Ishan Kishan is on the field, the coaches can sit back and relax because he manages everything on the ground exceptionally well. He knows how to handle things, how to captain the side, how to draw performances out of the youngsters, and when to speak to them. That makes the coach's job very easy. His presence is completely different,” he said.
“Now we want him to go on and play all three formats for India."
Jharkhand started its 2025/26 Ranji Trophy campaign with an impressive innings and 114 runs win over Tamil Nadu, where Kishan played a stellar hand, taking them from 79/3 to 419 all-out, scoring 173 off 247 balls. It continued the run with a handy draw against Vidarbha before beating Nagaland by innings and 196 runs.
After a rare blip against Andhra Pradesh, Ishan Kishan’s team bounced back quickly to maul Uttar Pradesh by innings and 301 runs before sealing qualification after a four-wicket win over Odisha, reaching the quarterfinals, where it ultimately got knocked out.
On Jharkhand’s own ambitions this season, Ratan aimed for the highest glory – Ranji Trophy. “For any coach, the ultimate goal is always to win the Ranji Trophy. But you need a process. We started that journey last year; we made it to the quarter-finals before losing. Building a championship-winning side takes two to three years of groundwork.”
“Whether success comes in the first, second, or third year, the process must continue. The youngsters are putting their hands up, while the seniors are leading with distinct authority and presence. I firmly believe Jharkhand will become an even stronger domestic force over the next few years."
In terms of the talent pool, the former Jharkhand batter stated that he’s looking forward to the pace-bowling unit, with the likes of Sahil Raj, Jatin Pandey and Saurabh Shekhar, insisting that if one of them steps up, the state is set for the future.
Jharkhand’s rise didn’t come out of nowhere, the appointments of Saurabh Tiwary and Shahbaz Nadeem was the first step in the rebuild of the state’s cricketing fortunes. It was the duo who placed their utmost trust in Ratan Kumar, who until that point was coaching the U-23 side, where he managed the likes of Kumar Kushagra and Qunain Kuraishi amongst others.
"Jharkhand is privileged to have administrators who have played for India Saurabh Tiwary as secretary and Shahbaz Nadeem as joint secretary. They placed their trust in Ratan Kumar, and Ishan Kishan was the captain. This created a wonderful environment, and Jharkhand cricket is steadily building itself up,” he revealed.
“You saw Ishan [Kishan] come through Under-19 India; if this structure continues, more quality cricketers will emerge. The advantage of having former players at the helm is that you don't have to explain cricket matters to them they already know what is required, and our needs are being met."
Quraishi, who was only playing his second first-class game in the Duleep Trophy final, was another bright spot for Jharkhand’s future. The soon to be 24-year-old provided much-needed control in the middle overs and also showed his batting prowess with a century in the second innings of the final.
Interestingly Quraishi had a stellar Jharkhand Premier League 2026 season, where he scored 203 runs, getting out just once, striking at 170.58 while still picking up six wickets with the ball.
"He [Quraishi] was recently named in the 20-member squad for the Under-23 Emerging players. With the performances he has delivered, he might secure an upcoming tour. Being an off-spinner who is also a good batter is a huge asset for any team. He had an outstanding run in the Jharkhand Premier League (JPL) as well.”
Ratan also revealed that the 23-year-old also attended trials with Indian Premier League franchise, Delhi Capitals, and now has received a trial call-up for the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“His future looks very bright—he recently attended trials with Delhi Capitals and has now received a trial call-up from RCB too. Hopefully, his future shapes up even better from here."