India, Dec. 21 -- Ishan Kishan has had a rough road in his journey as an international cricketer: after being all but exiled from the Indian national team in 2023, he finally earned his keep back in the side, as he was included in the squad for next year's T20 World Cup in a surprise decision.

Kishan's inclusion comes after a stellar Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, in which the Jharkhand captain led his side to a maiden title in the tournament with some exhilarating cricket. Kishan himself was at the heart of this, top-scoring in the tournament with 517 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 197. This included 101(49) in the final as his team beat Haryana.

Whatever the case, it can't be argued that Kishan made a case for himself based...