India, Dec. 23 -- In December 2023, Ishan Kishan stepped away from competitive cricket, citing mental health concerns, even as he remained in the Indian team's plans. That pause, however, triggered a sharp disruption. It cost him momentum, his central contract, and eventually his place in the conversation.

But instead of fading into the background, a familiar fate in Indian cricket, where depth leaves little room for extended absence, Kishan chose a different path. He leaned on patience and clarity amid the chaos, and focused on the only currency that truly counts: runs. He kept scoring, kept responding, and kept waiting. When the T20 World Cup squad was finally announced, it was persistence, not noise, that carried him back into content...