BCCI will give Ishan a chance to return
The selectors want Ishan Kishan to resume his red-ball career if he wants to make a comeback to the Indian team. Ever since he was denied a central contract by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in early February this year, there has been an air of uncertainty over Ishan Kishan’s future in international cricket across formats.
He has neither been included in any of the Indian squads since then, including the T20 World Cup, nor was there any discussion on his potential comeback during Gautam Gambhir’s first press conference as the men’s team head coach. However, Ishan is set to get a golden opportunity to make a comeback to the Indian team ahead of the selection meeting for the Bangladesh Test series next month.
Included in the list of probables
According to a report in Cricbuzz earlier this month, Ishan, who was dropped due to his Ranji Trophy exit last year, has made himself available for the upcoming domestic season after being consulted by the national selectors, and has been included in the list of 25 pre-season probables by the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA). The development comes just weeks after BCCI secretary Jay Shah reiterated that all available players should play for their respective states, including India probables when not on national duty.
According to the report, the wicketkeeper-batsman will play for Jharkhand in the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament, which begins in Chennai on August 15. A fresh report in the Indian Express on Monday indicated that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee might pick Ishan for the Duleep Trophy, which begins on September 5 and concludes on the 24th. The domestic tournament, which will also feature Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and other India regulars, will play a crucial role in picking the 15-member squad for the Test series against Bangladesh, which begins on September 19.
Ishan wants to return to Indian team
The report added that the selectors want Ishan to resume his red-ball career if he wants to make a comeback to the Indian team. Earlier, Shreyas Iyer, who was also denied a contract on similar grounds like Ishan, made a comeback to the Indian team during the ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane’s journey is over
It has been hinted for a long time that Pujara and Rahane are no longer contenders for a place in the Indian team, and on Monday, the Indian Express report further confirmed that the selectors will not consider these two experienced batsmen for the Duleep Trophy. Pujara was one of the highest run-scorers in the Ranji Trophy last season, while the out-of-form Rahane led Mumbai to the title. However, the selectors are keen to give Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel a chance to replace them.
Selectors’ plans for Ishan Kishan’
The report said that Ishan Kishan has been given another chance and this time it is in the form of red-ball cricket. The left-hander has been sidelined since January 2024 and suffered another setback when he was left out of the BCCI central contract. After a poor showing in IPL 2024, Kishan was once again dropped from India’s squad for the T20 World Cup.
Iyer, on the other hand, did not make himself available for Mumbai’s Ranji quarter-final against Baroda after being dropped from the Indian squad after the second Test against England. However, he has been selected for the Ranji semi-final, starting March 2. Announcing the central contracts for 2023-24, the BCCI once again advised all Indian cricketers to play domestic games when not on national duty.
Not considered for contracts by BCCI
Please note that in this round of recommendations, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for annual contracts, the BCCI said in a statement. The BCCI recommends that all athletes give priority to participating in domestic cricket during the period when they are not representing the national team, the board said.
Their exclusion can be seen as a stern message to young players who are not willing to put in the hard work in first-class cricket in search of white-ball glory and lucrative IPL contracts. Rohit, Kohli, pacer Jasprit Bumrah and allrounder Ravindra Jadeja have been placed in the A+ category, the highest bracket of the BCCI’s central contracts list.
The A category includes six cricketers, including senior offspinner R Ashwin, who will play his 100th Test next week when India take on England in the fifth and final match. Ashwin recently became the second Indian bowler to take 500 wickets in Tests after former captain Anil Kumble.
Conclusion
Wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan has been asked to resume playing domestic red-ball cricket and will feature in the Duleep Trophy. According to the Indian Express, the selection committee wants the left-hander to resume red-ball cricket to begin his journey towards making a comeback for India.
