Leg and off: Is it too late for Ishan Kishan to make a Test comeback?
Having missed international cricket for more than 10 months, Ishan Kishan is finally back in the reckoning for reclaiming his spot in the Indian squad. Playing for India C, Kishan slammed a brilliant century in the ongoing Duleep Trophy game against India B.
In the absence of Rishabh Pant, Kishan became the first choice option for India in the Test format. Having a similar style to Pant was the reason why Kishan was fast-tracked into the Test side. He made his Test debut against West Indies in July 2023 and also scored his maiden fifty in the two-match series.
His steady rise as an international player came to a standstill when Kishan wasn't offered a central contract by BCCI after the swashbuckling batter pulled out of the domestic tournaments. Citing mental fatigue as the issue, Kishan went on a sabbatical last December. Missing the domestic matches didn't sit well with the selectors and he was subsequently removed from the central contract list.
The Duleep Trophy encounter was Kishan’s maiden first-class game after almost a year. He was included in the India D squad for the first round game but the stars weren't really aligning for Kishan. He suffered a groin injury in the Buchi Babu Tournament.
After a revamp in all three squads following the India regulars leaving for the Test series against Bangladesh, Kishan found himself in India C while Samson replaced him in the India D squad. Kishan went on to score a 126-ball 111 which was studded with 14 fours and three sixes.
Kishan looked in his zone during the comeback century and maybe it's just the start for the powerful striker of the ball in order to reclaim his spot back in the Indian Test side. With Rishabh Pant back in the scheme of things, it will be that more difficult for Kishan to make a comeback but his century has certainly put him on the right path.
Having said that, let us have a look at various factors to determine whether Ishan Kishan deserves another shot at Test cricket.
#1 Ishan Kishan’s overall record and recent numbers
It was a steady rise to the top flight for Ishan Kishan after being in charge of the India U-19 side in the 2016 World Cup. He made his presence felt during his time with the Gujarat Lions in the IPL. His powerful striking qualities made the selectors take notice.
The southpaw finally received his maiden international cap for India in 2021 against West Indies in an ODI. Many cricketing pundits felt that Kishan was made for the white ball formats due to his carefree batting style. He was not bothered by giving his wicket away, rather he was always prepared to take the attack to the opposition bowlers.
It was after the success of Rishabh Pant as a Test batter which might have prompted the Indian selectors to include a similar fearless batter in the Test squad. Kishan went on to make his Test debut during the two-match Test series against West Indies in July last year. Kishan has a very small sample size in Test cricket. In two Tests, he has scored 78 runs including a fifty.
Coming to his overall numbers in the first-class circuit, Kishan has played 50 matches, scoring 3,063 runs at an average of 39.26. He has smashed six centuries and 17 half centuries but he has played very little cricket in the last few months. However, his knock in the second round of Duleep Trophy has certainly ignited the hopes of a mega comeback in the Indian Test side.
Verdict: Not too late for Ishan Kishan given the overall numbers
#2 Competitors
When Ishan Kishan made his Test debut against West Indies last year, there were not many competitors who could secure a spot in the Indian Test side. Moreover, the Indian management wanted a like-for-like replacement for Rishabh Pant and there were no similar template wicket-keeper batters available at that time.
It seemed that Kishan was destined to carry on the role until the return of Pant which seemed a fair way away. However, the long break taken from December due to mental health issues, Kishan was sidelined from the Indian side with the selectors making it very clear that all the players have to take part in the domestic tournaments when they are not selected in the national side.
Following Kishan’s ouster from the Test squad, Srikar Bharat returned as the first-choice keeper for the five-match Test series against England earlier in the year. However, he was replaced by Dhrul Jurel in the XI after a couple of failures. Jurel made an immediate impact with a brilliant knock of 90 under trying circumstances.
Rishabh Pant and Jurel have been picked as the two wicket-keepers for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh starting from September 19. Meanwhile, the likes of Upendra Singh and Kumar Kushagra are also knocking at the selection door with consistent performances at the domestic level. Given the competition Kishan has at this stage, it will be pretty difficult to make a comeback in the next few months.
Verdict: A Test return seems very difficult with the amount of competition.
#3 Has the selection committee moved on from Ishan Kishan?
Now this is a massive question which needs to be answered. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has given an ultimatum to players that they have to play domestic cricket if they harbor hopes of playing for India, the process of returning to the team is a strenuous one.
When Kishan was picked on the Indian side, the main reason was his aggressive approach. In the era of Bazball, every team needs batters who can score some brisk runs. While all these aspects align well for Kishan, he has been out of action for nearly a year.
The selectors are expected to give preference to the players who did all the hard yards in this phase. Dhruv Jurel impressed all and sundry during the Test series against England while the likes of Kushagra and Upendra Yadav have been performing consistently in the domestic circuit.
For Kishan, the century in the Duleep Trophy is just the start of a new chapter in his career. If he can consistently score runs then the selectors will be forced to bring him back in the scheme of things. So everything depends on if and how Kishan can perform consistently.
Verdict: 50-50
Conclusion:
Various factors prompt a selection committee to name a certain player in the squad. While there is no question about the incredible talent Kishan has both as a batter and the wicket-keeper, he has to maintain a certain level of decorum if he has to return to the Indian side.