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Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan is poised to start his comeback journey to the Indian team by leading Jharkhand in the upcoming Buchi Babu Trophy 2024. The tournament, which kicks off on August 15 in Tamil Nadu, is a pre-season event named after Buchi Babu Naidu, a trailblazer in popularizing cricket in the Madras presidency. The competition features four-day matches with 12 participating teams, including 10 state teams and 2 teams from Tamil Nadu.
Ishan Kishan makes his return to red-ball cricket as the captain of Jharkhand.
Ishan Kishan was not included in Jharkhand’s original squad but was added later following discussions with the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA). This development marks a significant move for the young cricketer and could be seen as the first step towards his return to domestic cricket.
“With Ishan, it was never about ability. It was only about whether he was ready to return. The decision was with him. When he was not included in the initial list, it was only because we hadn’t heard from him. The moment he expressed his keenness to return, he was drafted in,” a JSCA functionary was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
Not only is Ishan Kishan making a comeback, but he has also been named the captain of Jharkhand. According to ESPNCricinfo, Kishan is anticipated to return for the Ranji Trophy later this year. His absence from last year’s Ranji Trophy led to the termination of his central contract.
What caused Ishan Kishan’s removal from India’s plans?
The left-handed batter was part of India’s plans until last year but withdrew from the squad during the South Africa tour, citing mental fatigue. When later asked to participate in the Ranji Trophy for Jharkhand, Kishan informed selectors that he was not ready for a return.
During this period, he was privately training with his IPL captain, Hardik Pandya. This led to dissatisfaction from the board regarding his commitment to domestic cricket, resulting in his removal from the BCCI’s annual central contracts list, where he was placed in Grade C.
Kishan played the entire IPL season, amassing 320 runs in 14 matches with an average of 22.86 and a strike rate of 148.84. Since then, he has been absent from professional cricket and is no longer part of India’s plans.
Intense competition for Ishan Kishan
With Rishabh Pant set to make his Test comeback against Bangladesh and Dhruv Jurel showcasing his potential as a wicketkeeper-batter in the home series against England, Kishan has moved further down the pecking order. To reclaim his spot, he will need to perform consistently in domestic cricket.
Ishan Kishan has represented India in 2 Tests, 27 ODIs, and 32 T20Is. He is among the few players worldwide to have scored a double century. The 26-year-old was also part of India’s squad for the ODI World Cup 2023, where the team finished as runners-up, with Kishan participating in the early matches when Shubman Gill was unavailable.
