Ishan Kishan Recalls How Virat Kohli Helped and Consoled Him During His Lowest Phase in IPL 2021

Ishan Kishan revealed how Virat Kohli helped and consoled him during his disappointing form for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021.

Virat Kohli Consoled Ishan Kishan During His Tough Phase in IPL 2021

Ishan Kishan was going through a tough phase while playing for MI. He scored 241 runs in 10 matches in IPL 2021, and his poor form was clearly visible. During a match on September 26, 2021, Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Mumbai Indians by 54 runs, and Ishan managed just 9 runs off 12 balls.

Recalling that match, on February 2, 2026, Ishan said on 2 Sloggers that he felt very emotional and was close to breaking down, but Virat Kohli noticed and comforted him.

"I was very sad during another match. Remember a video had come, where I was on the verge of crying before Virat bhai consoled me. Bas kisi tarah se aansu roke huye thhe (I just somehow managed to hold back tears). He [Virat] must have seen me just lying there. Poor kid; he probably must be thinking too much," Ishan said on the 2 Sloggers Podcast.

Watch the video of Virat Kohli consoling Ishan Kishan here

Just before this season, in IPL 2020, he had his best performance, scoring 516 runs in 14 matches at an average of 57.33 and a strike rate of 145.76, including four half-centuries, and played a key role in helping MI win the title. In the same season, he scored 99 runs in a match against RCB, missing a century by just one run, as MI lost that game in the super over.

He currently plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, who bought him for INR 11.25 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. This season, he scored a century in his first match and made 354 runs in 13 innings, with an average of 35.40 and a strike rate of 152.58.

From Struggles to Success, Ishan Kishan Back in India Squad

Ishan Kishan's comeback story is very inspiring. He holds the record for the fastest double century in ODI history which he scored against Bangladesh in 2022. In 2024, he was removed from the BCCI central contract list, but he came back to domestic cricket, worked hard, and scored a lot of runs. He also led Jharkhand to win the SMAT 2025, scoring a century in the final.

This helped him return to the team for the New Zealand series and also got included in the T20 World Cup 2026 squad. In the four innings he played in the series, he scored 76 and 103, as he showed impressive form which will likely keep him in the playing XI when India faces the USA at Wankhede Stadium on February 7.

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