Ishan Kishan reacts to Kirti Azad's temple visit remark after India's T20 World Cup 2026 victory

Team India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has slammed questions regarding 1983 World Cup winner Kirti Azad's controversial temple visit remark. The left-handed batter stated that the focus should be on Team India's T20 World Cup 2026 victory instead of the political debate surrounding Azad's remark.

India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the summit clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and ICC Chairman Jay Shah visited a Hanuman temple with the trophy. Indian players had sought blessings from the same temple before the final as well.

Kuch Accha Sawal Kijiye - Ishan Kishan On Kirti Azad's Remark on Temple Visit

Ishan Kishan received a grand welcome in his hometown of Patna after the spectacular triumph. Kishan expressed frustration over questions regarding Kirti Azad's remark. The young cricketer demanded better questions focusing on their sporting achievements.

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"There's no answer to this question. We don't answer Kirti Azad's question. Ask a good question. We play cricket for the country. We've won the World Cup. You're asking a stupid question," Ishan Kishan said.

Patna, Bihar: Cricketer Ishan Kishan says, "...What has Kirti Azad said about this? Now, what should I say about it?..." pic.twitter.com/P12gonGLVe

— IANS (@ians_india) March 10, 2026

Not Suryakumar Yadav’s Or Jay Shah’s Family - Kirti Azad

Kirti Azad targeted Suryakumar Yadav, Gautam Gambhir, and Jay Shah. He stated that the national team represents 1.4 billion Indians of every religion, questioning why the prestigious trophy was not taken to a mosque or church.

The former cricketer stated that the 1983 World Cup squad under Kapil Dev was secular, with people from all religions. He criticized the current management for turning a national sporting achievement into a victory lap for just one religion.

"This Team Represents INDIA — not Surya Kumar Yadav's or Jay Shah's Family. (Mohammad) Siraj never paraded it at a Mosque. Sanju (Samson) never took it to a Church... latter had a major part to play and was man of the tournament.”

While some fans supported his views, others defended the temple visit as a deeply personal act of gratitude. Meanwhile, several cricket fans shared Azad's 1983 World Cup final scorecard, where he was dismissed for zero runs off three balls.

Ishan Kishan Completes A Spectacular International Comeback

Ishan Kishan had a brilliant individual T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. After being completely dropped from the national team across all formats in 2023, he forced his international comeback by dominating the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 517 runs for Jharkhand.

He was initially picked as a backup opener and grabbed his golden opportunity amid Tilak Varma's injury. Following Shubman Gill's struggles, the management picked Ishan ahead of him.

The left-hander ended the tournament as the second-highest run-getter for the dominant Men in Blue. He narrowly missed out on surpassing Virat Kohli's record of 319 runs from 2014. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson (321) successfully broke that milestone.

Kishan amassed 317 runs from nine matches at an impressive average of 35.22 and a strike rate of 193.29. During the final against New Zealand, Kishan slammed 54 runs off just 25 balls, including four boundaries and four massive sixes.

Also read: Rinku Singh shares emotional tribute to late father after India’s T20 World Cup 2026 victory