Watch: Ishan Kishan makes confident comeback with four in IND vs NZ 1st T20I

It is almost after two years and two months when Ishan Kishan finally returned to the Indian national cricket team playing XI and started strongly with a four. 

New Zealand sent the hosts India to bat first in the Nagpur T20I on Wednesday evening (January 21), while Ishan Kishan came to bat at no.3 after Sanju Samson was dismissed on the fifth ball of the second over of the match. 

Watch: Ishan Kishan hit four on first ball of his comeback

New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson delivered a full-length ball at the stumps, while Ishan played a flying shot that beat the fielders inside the 30-yard circle and went for four. It was clear that he brought his powerful SMAT form on his international comeback.

In the next over, Ishan hit a four to Jacob Duffy, but then on the fifth ball of that over, Ishan lost his wicket as Mark Chapman took a comfortable catch at cover for that wicket. 

Watch: Kristian Clarke's hilarious misfielding gives Abhishek Sharma successive fours in IND vs NZ 1st T20I

Ishan Kishan makes comeback after strong domestic form

The 27-year-old Ishan Kishan previously played for India in November 2023 during the Guwahati T20I. The wicketkeeper-batter has played two Tests, 27 ODIs, and 32 T20Is before his latest national team comeback. While the left-handed batter has scored 78 Test runs, including one half-century, he has also scored 933 ODI runs and 796 T20I runs. While he has recorded one century and seven half-centuries in his ODI career, he has also scored six T20I half-centuries. He holds the record for the fastest ODI double-century by scoring 126-ball 200 against Bangladesh during Chattogram 2022 ODI. 

With his recent consistent performances in domestic cricket, Ishan has returned to the Indian team. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26, he finished as the leading run-scorer with 517 runs in 10 innings with a 57.44 average, including two centuries and two half-centuries, while scoring a match-winning century in the Final.