Ishan Kishan in Jharkhand Cricket Association's list of probables for 2024-25 season; What the future holds for him?
Ishan Kishan is considered one of the brightest young talents in the country. He was viewed as someone the team can rely on in the future. This was largely due to his exploits in the Under-19 circuit and his corresponding transition to domestic cricket as well as the IPL.
The wicketkeeper-batter was able to replicate his success in the international arena and was even part of the elite batters’ list who have scored a double ton in the ODI format. This earned him a place in India’s 15-member squad for the World Cup. He also ended up playing a few games.
How did Ishan Kishan lose his spot in Team India?
Things were going smoothly for Kishan as he was a regular in all of India’s squads, be it Test, T20I, or the ODIs. He was all set to play a key role for India in the months or even years to come. But it all started going downhill for the talented batter in November 2023. This was the last time Kishan ever featured for India in an international game (T20I against Australia).
Once again, in the absence of Rishabh Pant, Kishan was selected in India’s T20I and Test squads for the South Africa tour in late 2023. However, citing “mental fatigue," the 26-year-old opted out of the Test squad. Kishan has not been picked in any of India’s squads since then.
It is not that Ishan Kishan has not just featured for India since the game against Australia, but he has not played domestic cricket as well. This is despite the instructions given by BCCI and selectors to Kishan to play domestic cricket if he wishes to return to the international fold. The board, therefore, was prompted to remove him from the annual central contract list.
The only competitive cricket Kishan played between then and now is the IPL, where he had a rather middling tournament. He could amass just 320 runs, though boasting a strike rate close to 150. This didn’t fetch him a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad, as he lost the same to the returning Rishabh Pant.
What does future hold for Kishan?
After the World Cup, Ishan Kishan hasn’t been anywhere close to a recall, but the latest developments seem to be positive. It has been said that Kishan has been counselled by national selectors, and the result is that he is now included in Jharkhand's list of 25 probables for the upcoming domestic season.
It means Kishan is in line to play a complete season of domestic cricket with Jharkhand, and this includes the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), and Ranji Trophy. A good performance here will bring Kishan a lot closer to an international comeback, giving him a chance to redeem himself after the recent setback.
After all, Kishan was the one who stepped up for India when some of their regular players, like Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, were unavailable. He donned the role of keeper on many occasions and didn’t hesitate to bat in different positions, especially in ODI cricket. He averaged more than 43 in the 22 ODIs (873 runs) that he featured in 2022-23. Hence, he has shown his potential to succeed at the highest level. This revival is not just important for Ishan Kishan but also for India’s cricket team, who are entering into a transition phase.
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