India wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan has made an impressive return to the Indian team after spending a long time away. The stylish batter recently captained Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, and his strong performances there quickly earned him a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad.
After getting picked in India's T20I squad against New Zealand, Ishan flexed his form, scoring 76, 28, and followed it up with his maiden T20I century, a brilliant 103. However, despite his lethal batting, Ishan picked pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah as the one bowler he still struggles to play.
Ishan Kishan on Jasprit Bumrah
The 27-year-old recently shared a story about Bumrah that is sure to raise a smile, and maybe even annoy the Indian fast bowler a little. Ishan said that Bumrah, who troubles batters around the world, is just as tough on his own teammates during practice sessions.
While talking about bowlers who challenge him the most, Kishan first mentioned leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, saying that Chahal has almost “figured him out.” He then explained how intense Bumrah can be, even in the nets.
“Among spinners, I find Yuzi bhai tough to face — I think he understands my game very well. And among fast bowlers, no one is better than Bumrah bhai,” Ishan said on the 2 Sloggers podcast. “Let me tell you a story — he might get upset because I say this everywhere. When we practice, we have different kinds of pitches. Some are grassy, some are dry. On grassy wickets, bowlers usually go easy on batters, but Bumrah doesn’t. If you middle one ball, you can be sure a series of bouncers is coming next.”
Notably, Ishan Kishan shared the dressing room with Bumrah during his Indian Premier League (IPL) stint with the Mumbai Indians, where they used to train together in the nets. Even after moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad last season, where he scored 354 runs, including an unbeaten 106, the memories of facing Bumrah in practice have stayed with him.
Ishan Kishan and Jasprit Bumrah's upcoming outing
Ishan Kishan and Jasprit Bumrah will now be seen featuring together in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to start from February 7 where defending champions India will face the USA in their tournament opener at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.