Published: Feb 28, 2024, 11:15 AM (IST)
Edited: Feb 28, 2024, 11:15 AM (IST)
Making his comeback to competitive cricket after a three-month hiatus, Ishan Kishan featured for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) team in the DY Patil T20 Cup 2024. Playing against Route Mobile Limited in Navi Mumbai, he registered a modest score of 19 runs. Assuming the wicketkeeping duties as his team chose to field first, the left-handed batsman opened the innings for RBI. However, his innings was brief, managing 19 runs off 12 balls, including 2 fours and a six, before Maxwell Swaminathan sent him back to the pavilion.
Shahbaz Nadeem, Amit Mishra, Ankit Rajpoot, Dhruv Shorey, and Riyan Parag are also part of the RBI team. Kishan’s return to action marked his first game in three months, with his last appearance dating back to a T20I against Australia in November 2023. Although he initially traveled to South Africa with the Indian squad, he departed the tour prematurely due to mental fatigue.
Opting out of the Ranji Trophy season, Kishan focused on preparing for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He was spotted training alongside Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya in Baroda. Despite India’s head coach Rahul Dravid’s recommendation for him to participate in domestic matches, Kishan chose to disregard the advice.
With the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 slated for June, Kishan faces the challenge of delivering outstanding performances to bolster his chances of representing the Indian team.
Jay Shah’s strict warning to players missing Domestic Cricket
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah recently emphasized that all cricketers under central contracts must participate in red-ball cricket at the domestic level, with no room for excuses tolerated by the management.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the renaming ceremony of the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Shah clarified that players are obliged to represent their respective state teams upon the request of their coach or captain. His remarks come amidst the controversy surrounding Ishan Kishan and reports suggesting that the BCCI has instructed him to play for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy.
While Shah referenced Kishan during the interaction, he swiftly clarified that the announcement was not specifically aimed at him. Instead, Shah emphasized that this rule applies to all cricketers not currently part of the national team.
