Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan has remained absent from the Indian team, leading to competition between KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel for the wicket-keeping spot in the first two Tests against England.
With no appearance be it, international or domestic, the young batter is looking to invite unnecessary troubles ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 this year.
Kishan requested rest during the South Africa tour and has not returned to action since. When asked about Kishan’s comeback, India head coach Rahul Dravid emphasized that the player must participate in cricket matches to be eligible for selection.
Despite Dravid’s clear message and the team’s expectations, Kishan has chosen not to participate in the Ranji Trophy.
Instead, reports suggest that he has been training with Hardik and Krunal Pandya at the Reliance Stadium in Baroda for the past few weeks. This raises curiosity as Hardik Pandya captains the Mumbai Indians franchise, which Kishan is also a part of.
Ishan Kishan was unhappy when India picked Jitesh Sharma in the playing XI in the T20I series against South Africa, hence he left the team. (RevSportz) pic.twitter.com/0O2aVBKxZB
— Himanshu Pareek (@Sports_Himanshu) February 7, 2024
“Whenever he is ready, I didn’t say he has to play domestic cricket; I said whenever he is ready… he needs to play some cricket and come back. The choice is his. We are not forcing him to do anything. We are in touch with him,” Rahul Dravid had said in the post-match press conference after the second Test.
According to former India cricketer Kiran More, Kishan has been training at his academy. Although Kishan has not played for the Indian team in any format since November last year, he has been on the bench for several games.
Despite Dravid’s advice to engage in competitive cricket like the Ranji Trophy, Kishan has not shown interest in doing so. With the BCCI expected to announce the squad for the remaining three Tests against England soon, it remains uncertain if Kishan will be considered for selection.
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