Ishan will captain Jharkhand in Buchi Babu
The wicketkeeper-batsman has not played any red-ball cricket since his debut Test series in the Caribbean tour last July. Ishan Kishan will lead Jharkhand in the upcoming Buchi Babu Tournament, starting in Tamil Nadu on August 15. Kishan, who was not part of Jharkhand’s original longlist, will join the team in Chennai on Wednesday.
The move is seen as the wicketkeeper-batsman’s first step towards a full-fledged comeback to first-class cricket. Kishan decided to participate and was included in the squad when he informed the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) about the same.
Kishan to return to state selectors
Ishan Kishan is also expected to return to the Ranji Trophy during the 2024-25 season after he informed the state selectors of his desire to return. His last domestic first-class match was in December 2022. He stayed away from Ranji Trophy at the end of the 2023-24 domestic season and it proved costly for him, as the BCCI dropped him from the central contract list for not prioritising domestic cricket.
In Ishan’s case, it was never a matter of merit,” a JSCA official said. “It was just about whether he was ready to come back. The decision was in his hands. When he was not included in the initial list, it was only because we did not talk to him. The moment he expressed his desire to come back, he was included.
Entering a long 10-match Test season in five months
Kishan’s return to red-ball cricket comes at a time when India are entering a long 10-match Test season in the next five months, but the comeback will not be easy. Kishan made his Test debut during India’s tour of the West Indies last year, when Rishabh Pant was recovering from injuries sustained during a car accident in December 2022.
The second Test of that Caribbean tour in July 2023 is Kishan’s last first-class match. He was also selected in the Test squad for the 2023-24 tour of South Africa, but asked to be released citing mental fatigue.
BCCI central contract list ready
He was set to make a Test comeback during the five-Test home series against England earlier this year, but lost out to KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel after he told selectors he wasn’t ready. He didn’t take part in the Ranji Trophy either, and the selectors, whose suggestions the BCCI takes into account while preparing the central contract list, were not happy that Kishan spent his time away from the game training privately with his IPL captain Hardik Pandya in Baroda instead of playing for Jharkhand.
Kishan, who lost the Grade C contract he had this year, played two Tests, 17 ODIs and 11 T20Is in 2023. He was also part of India’s squad when they reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup and featured in two matches at the top of the order when Shubman Gill was ill.
Not pressuring yourself about things
When you take a break, people gossip a lot about it, they say a lot of things on social media, Kishan had said in April, referring to his time away from the game. “But I think it is important to understand that not everything is in the hands of the players. We can only make the best use of the break.
That is a good mindset to adopt. There is nothing that I want to prove to anyone. I just have to go out there and enjoy. I have learnt that you don’t have to put pressure on yourself about these things, which are not in your hands.
In Ishan’s case, it was never a matter of merit,” a JSCA official said. “It was only about whether he is ready to make a comeback. The decision was in his hands. When he was not included in the starting list, it was only because we did not hear anything from him. The moment he expressed his desire to return, he was included in the squad.
Team India is preparing for a tough Test season for 10 matches over the next five months, Ishan made his debut during India’s tour of West Indies last year. He was also selected for India’s tour of South Africa for the Test series but opted out citing mental fatigue.
Conclusion
It was only about whether he is ready to return. The decision was in his hands. When he was not included in the starting list, it was only because we did not hear anything from him. The moment he expressed his desire to return, he was included in the squad.
Ishan has played two Tests for India and both came against West Indies during India’s two-match Test tour of the Caribbean in 2023. The southpaw did not get much chance to bat on debut at Windsor Park in Dominica as he remained unbeaten.
