Ishan Kishan Rahul Dravid Rohit Sharma. Image Credits: AFP
Former India head coach Rahul Dravid addressed the long-discussed situation involving wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan for the first time in public during the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 held in New Delhi.
The legendary cricketer received the prestigious Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award. Rahul Dravid was honoured alongside Roger Binny, while former India women's captain Mithali Raj received the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women.
The annual awards ceremony organised by the BCCI celebrates exceptional performances and long-standing contributions to Indian cricket across international, domestic and junior levels.
Rahul Dravid's light-hearted moment goes viral
During the ceremony, Dravid shared a humorous comment about some of India’s young cricketers, including Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma.
With a smile, Rahul Dravid joked that while the players might have learned a few cricketing lessons from him, they certainly did not learn their dressing sense from him.
"Shubman, Rishabh, Ishan, Abhishek I think they might have learned some things from me, looking at the way they dressed is certainly they haven’t learned dressing sense from, they have done better than that" - Rahul Dravid.
Rahul Dravid earlier explained tough selection decisions
However, the former coach earlier addressed the more serious topic of team selection controversy involving Ishan Kishan. During Dravid's tenure as India’s head coach, Kishan lost his place in the XI, sparking widespread debate among fans.
Dravid explained that sometimes selection decisions are extremely difficult and do not always have clear explanations.
Also Read: Rahul Dravid, Shubman Gill Among India Legends To Be Felicitated By BCCI
“Sometimes, you don’t even have strong enough explanations for why someone isn’t selected,” Dravid said. “They might be good enough, but someone else happens to be equally good and performing well, so you can’t change the team.”
Ishan Kishan’s road to redemption
Ishan Kishan's journey over the past two years has been nothing short of remarkable. The left-handed batter had earlier faced disciplinary action from the BCCI after skipping domestic matches despite clear instructions from the board. As a result, both he and Shreyas Iyer were removed from the BCCI central contract list in 2024.
After taking a short break from cricket, Kishan returned during the IPL 2024 season with the Mumbai Indians.
He then delivered a sensational domestic season. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, Kishan scored 517 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of nearly 197, finishing as the tournament's highest run-scorer. He also led Jharkhand to their maiden title with a stunning 49-ball century in the final.
Ishan Kishan continued his impressive form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, scoring 155 runs in three innings at a strike rate above 230.
Ishan Kishan's World Cup triumph seals the comeback
Despite his domestic success, Ishan was not initially considered a certain pick for India’s squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. However, he proved his worth in spectacular fashion.
Opening the innings for India, Kishan scored 317 runs in nine matches at a strike rate above 193. His aggressive starts played a key role in India’s eventual triumph in the tournament, especially during a phase when his opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, struggled for form.
With more than 300 runs in the competition and several match-defining performances, Ishan emerged as one of the heroes of India's World Cup victory.
Also Read- Pakistan Bowler Puts Mohammad Amir To Shame As Match-Fixing Claims Emerge
