New Delhi, March 9 -- Before India announced its T20 World Cup 2026 squad, Ishan Kishan was not seen as a certainty. But just a month later, the pocket-sized swashbuckling left-hander from Jharkhand is being hailed as a national hero after playing a crucial role in India's T20 World Cup 2026 triumph.

With 300-plus runs at the top, Kishan not only redefined himself but also laid the platform for others to come at a time when his opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, went through a lean patch during the course of the tournament.

Kishan first came into the limelight during the U19 World Cup 2016 when he led the Indian team to the final. It was the same batch that saw the emergence of current stars Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar. For the ne...