"Selectors couldn't let go of his performance in SMAT": Ishan Kishan's coach Uttam Majumdar

Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 20 : Ishan Kishan's coach, Uttam Majumdar, believes his impressive performance in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), leading Jharkhand to their first-ever title, made it impossible for selectors to ignore him, which earned him a spot in the Indian T20 World Cup squad.
Ishan, who had a marvellous SMAT 2025/26 campaign with Jharkhand, leading them to their first-ever SMAT title, has returned to the side after last playing a T20I against Australia in late 2023.
He top-scored in SMAT with 517 runs in 10 innings at 57.44, including two centuries and two fifties, including a century in the final against Haryana, and striking at over 197.
"The way he performed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and led Jharkhand to their maiden title, even the selectors couldn't let go of his performance," Uttam Majumdar said.
"I see this on a very positive note. His SMAT performance was brilliant. I kept telling him, Performance is everything. Even when he didn't get chances for two years in the Indian team, I always uplifted him mentally," he added.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead a 15-man squad in the upcoming T20 World Cup, with Shubman Gill, who has been the vice-captain of the T20I team, dropped amid fitness and form concerns, and Axar Patel returning to deputy duties.
The team was announced by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia at the board's headquarters on Saturday, in the presence of captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
India's squad for T20 World Cup 2026 and New Zealand T20I series: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-capt), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (wk).