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Ishan Kishan had a night to remember on January 31, 2026, at Thiruvananthapuram, where the player registered his maiden T20I century in the fifth T20I match against New Zealand. His knock in the match played a special role as India won by 46 runs and also wrapped up the five-match series 4-1.

Ishan Kishan scored 103 runs off 43 deliveries, laced with six fours and 10 sixes, powering India to set a total of 271 runs. While chasing the target, New Zealand were bowled out for 225 runs in 19.4 overs. Kishan was expected to be a backup, but Tilak Verma's injury saw him starting at number 3. However, with the return of Tilak Verma, it raises a question about Ishan Kishan's spot in the playing XI.

Meanwhile, Sanju Samson's poor form in the T20I series against New Zealand created a selection conundrum. During the post-match interview, Ishan Kishan seemingly hinted at his willingness to open with Abhishek Sharma.

Ishan Kishan Makes A Strong Case Amid Sanju Samson's Struggles

While accepting his player of the match award, Ishan Kishan shared that batting alongside Abhishek Sharma has helped his performance, also seemingly hinting at the management that he can open the tournament with the latter.

Ishan Kishan shared, "I felt the ball was doing a bit early on, but batting alongside Abhishek Sharma really helps. You see his intent, you understand the momentum the team needs, and then you just try to watch the ball and play accordingly."

While talking about his maiden century, he shared, "That approach worked well for me today. I think that’s the mindset of everyone in our team now. Even if you’re close to a milestone, it doesn’t really matter. If you start taking singles at that stage, you might feel later that you missed an opportunity to go big. So if the ball is there to hit, you have to go for it. The focus is on winning matches, not personal milestones."

Ishan Kishan Against New Zealand

Ishan smashed 215 runs in four innings with a strike rate of 231.18. Notably, his century in the fifth T20I is also his highest score in the five-match series. Ishan Kishan finished the five-match series against New Zealand as the second-highest run scorer, behind captain Suryakumar Yadav.