NEW DELHI: When things do not fall into place, you should just let your performances do the talking without uttering a word, and that’s what out-of-favour India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan did by leading Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title.

Kishan, who has been out of the Indian setup since 2023, sent out a strong message for a T20I comeback with a ferocious century, hammering 10 sixes in a stunning 49-ball 101 as Jharkhand posted a daunting 262 for 3.

With the ball, Jharkhand maintained the pressure throughout. Medium pacer Anukul Roy set the tone by striking twice in his opening over, and the bowlers followed it up with regular breakthroughs to restrict Haryana to 193, sealing a dominant win.

After guiding Jharkhand to the title, Kishan spoke candidly about being left out of the Indian team. He acknowledged that the omission initially hurt him deeply, but said he has since moved on, choosing to focus solely on improving his game rather than dwelling on selection or expectations.

“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,” Sportstar quoted Kishan as saying.

“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,” he added.

“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 also reflected on Jharkhand’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy success, describing the title win as the most joyful and fulfilling moment of his career.

“It is definitely the happiest moment because we have never won a domestic tournament under my captaincy. This was an opportunity where you had to prove yourself,” he said.

“There are times when you doubt yourself, but when you win, it’s all done. You know what quality you have, what changes you can make to your game, and how you can turn a match around. Now, I have more trust in myself and more belief in my batting,” he added.