Ishan Kishan on 5th T20I decider: 'Don't care if I'm No. 1 or No. 100 batter'
Synopsis
With the India-West Indies T20I series locked at 2-2, Ishan Kishan — the world's top-ranked T20I batter — said he doesn't care whether he's No. 1 or No. 100, and just wants to savour the pressure of a decider. That mindset, rather than any ranking, may define how India approach the Bengaluru showdown.
Key Takeaways
Ishan Kishan dismissed his standing as the world's top-ranked T20I batter , saying he keeps all stats aside ahead of the series decider.
The 5th T20I between India and the West Indies is a series decider at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on 17 October , with the series level at 2-2 .
It is Bengaluru's first international cricket fixture in two years ; rain delayed warm-ups before the match.
Kishan said India's bowling unit must improve as a collective, refusing to attribute struggles to pitch conditions or any single player.
Kishan is set to serve as India's vice-captain for the 4th and 5th ODIs against New Zealand next month.
India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan on Saturday, 17 October said he has no interest in his standing as the world's top-ranked T20I batter, insisting he prefers to blank out rankings and simply enjoy the pressure of a series decider. The statement came ahead of the 5th T20I between India and the West Indies at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, with the five-match series level at 2-2. Persistent rain delayed warm-ups before what is also Bengaluru's first international fixture in two years.
Kishan on rankings and mindset
Speaking to broadcasters in a pre-match chat, Kishan was direct about keeping statistics out of his thinking. 'At this early stage in my life, I don't want to look into stats where I stand, if I'm a number 1 batter or I'm a number 100 batter. It's just one game at a time you take, and you just try to play your best cricket,' he said.
The left-hander was clear that a high ranking could become a mental burden. 'I personally love to keep all these stats aside because I don't want to get into any thought where I'm thinking about, okay, I am number one and I need to play in a certain way,' he added.
Embracing the decider pressure
Kishan described the dressing room atmosphere as neither tense nor relaxed — 'somewhere in the middle of both' — but acknowledged the team was relishing the high-stakes scenario. 'We have not been in this situation recently, and so happy to be in this situation because always a decider match, it comes up with pressure. It comes up with expectations and everything, and this is what we want when we go into bat,' he said.
His message to teammates was to stay process-focused. 'Not gonna think about the result. The message is simple: to just play your game, have that aggression in the field, have that intent, have that winning attitude, and just play your best game,' Kishan said.
Bowling unit under scrutiny
India's bowlers have struggled to contain the West Indies batters across the series, but Kishan declined to attribute the shortcomings to conditions or to single out any individual. 'I feel the wickets also have been very good here. But at the same time there's always room for improvement. We cannot always give it to wickets or everything,' he said.
He emphasised collective accountability over individual blame, calling on the entire unit to execute plans as one. 'It's not like someone had a bad day, and we'll be like, whatever happened, has happened because of that particular guy... all of us need to be together at any point of time,' he added. The team's focus, he said, was on reading how the West Indies were approaching the contest and responding with awareness of conditions.
What's next for Kishan
Beyond the T20I series, Kishan is set to serve as India's vice-captain in the 4th and 5th ODIs against New Zealand next month — a sign of his growing standing in the white-ball setup. The Bengaluru decider represents his most immediate test of delivering under the kind of pressure he says he actively seeks out.
Point of View
But the more telling detail is his admission that India 'have not been in this situation recently' — implying a settled team still finding its decider muscles. The bowling unit's struggles across four matches aren't a surface issue; they reflect a depth problem India have papered over with high-scoring chases. If the Bengaluru pitch flattens out, that gap gets exposed again. Kishan's promotion to ODI vice-captaincy signals selectors are backing him for the long haul, which makes his performance in a crunch T20I a data point, not just a game.
NationPress
17 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Ishan Kishan say about being the No. 1 T20I batter?
Kishan said he has no interest in his ranking and prefers to keep statistics out of his mind. 'At this early stage in my life, I don't want to look into stats where I stand, if I'm a number 1 batter or I'm a number 100 batter,' he told broadcasters ahead of the 5th T20I in Bengaluru.
What is the current score in the India vs West Indies T20I series?
The five-match T20I series is level at 2-2 heading into the decider at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on 17 October 2026.
Why was the warm-up delayed before the 5th T20I?
Persistent rain in Bengaluru delayed the warm-up session before the series decider. The match is also notable as Bengaluru's first international cricket fixture in two years.
What leadership role has Ishan Kishan been given next month?
Kishan is set to serve as India's vice-captain for the 4th and 5th ODIs against New Zealand next month, reflecting his growing importance in India's white-ball setup.
What did Kishan say about India's bowling struggles in the series?
Kishan declined to blame pitch conditions or single out individuals, calling instead for a collective team response. 'All of us need to be together at any point of time,' he said, emphasising that improvement must come as a unit rather than from any one player.
