Ishan Kishan celebrated his 27th birthday on July 18, marking another year in a career that's been equal parts brilliant and frustrating. The wicketkeeper-batsman from Patna finds himself at a crossroads, leading Jharkhand in domestic cricket while desperately trying to force his way back into the Indian setup.

Wishing a very Happy Birthday to #TeamIndia wicket-keeper batter, Ishan Kishan 🎂👏@ishankishan51 pic.twitter.com/OXUUpn5Cma

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 18, 2025

It has been a long journey considering that the individual came so heavily. Kishan has set a pack record of the quickest two centuries in ODI history after smashing two hundred in a record of 126 balls before ending on 210 off 131 balls against Bangladesh in December 2022. He is also the first batsman who has ever made his maiden ODI century into a double ton. They are the type of figures that ought to secure a place in any team on a regular basis, but here he sits on the bench.

The left-handed batsman has not represented India since November 2023, and the last time he played was during the home series against Australia. Lack of mental health and tiredness were among the causes of his absence, however, the most concerning part is there a large number of Indian wicketkeepers. The return of Rishabh Pant following an injury has made the situation more complicated, whereas Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel have impressed whenever they have been given opportunities.

The international career of Kishan began with a bang. He led India to the final of the Under-19 World Cup in 2016 when they were defeated by the West Indies, but the leadership qualities that he displayed carried away everyone. In March 2021, he made his senior debut when he scored 56 in 32 balls against England and was named Player of the Match. 

The IPL has spared his bank balance at least, and not his ego. Having been bought by Gujarat Lions in 2016 as a replacement for Hardik Pandya at the base price of 35 lakh, he passed on to the Mumbai Indians, becoming an important cog in the team that won the IPL in 2019 and 2020. His breakout year was in 2020, when he had 516 runs and a strike rate of 145.76. Mumbai signed him up to retain him at a price of 15.25 crores, including him among one of the most expensive keepers in the league. The Mumbai team released him this year, and he was sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad to the tune of 11.25 crores.

Kishan has also significantly contributed to the Indian Star in an international career, playing 61 matches in total and scoring 1,807 runs with 14 half-centuries and one magical masterpiece to see early in 2018. His Test Avg of 78 is something to face, but it is achieved in only two matches. In ODIs, he has an average of 42 based on 27 matches played, and the T20I record reveals 796 runs at 26 on average based on 32 matches played.

The challenge is now to build on these performances and make that international comeback long-lasting. Former England captain Michael Vaughan suggested that Kishan's wild celebrations after scoring a century for SRH earlier this year were about more than just reaching three figures. "That was a celebration, maybe to Mumbai, maybe to the chairman of selectors, maybe to Rohit Sharma," Vaughan said. Everything Kishan has been doing nowadays appears to be loaded with special responsibilities.

At 27, he's entering what should be the prime years of his career. The birthday celebrations are over, and now comes the hard work of proving he belongs back in blue. For the "Pocket Dynamo," the next chapter starts now.