End of roads for Ishan Kishan? Mental health costs Ishan Kishan place in Indian Cricket Team

Ishan Kishan had pulled out of the South Africa Test series citing a mental health break.

Ishan Kishan’s time in the Indian team might have come to an end for now. Reports have indicated that the BCCI selectors have decided to move on from the Jharkhand keeper-batter.

He was a major name missing from the recent India squad named for the Afghanistan T20I series at home. India will play three T20Is against Afghans from January 11-17 and seven major names including that of Ishan Kishan are missing.

The squad saw the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20I format more than a year after they had last played a T20I match for India.

Ishan Kishan was recently on a tour of South Africa, where he warmed the bench in the T20I series and then pulled out of the two-Test series citing “personal reasons.” He last played in any format for India was in the five-match home T20I series against Australia back in November-December.

He has traveled with the Indian team in recent times and cited mental health as a reason to back out of the India Test team for the South Africa series. KL Rahul being considered as first-choice keeper for the two Tests might have also been a reason behind Kishan taking a break.

“Selectors are in all likelihood are looking beyond Ishan Kishan”- Report

According to a PTI report, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel has already determined that they will be “looking beyond Ishan,” who has played 32 T20Is for India, in terms of wicket-keeping possibilities in the future.

According to a source close to the BCCI, the selectors will overlook the Jharkhand batter for the shortest format and focus on others. The assertion comes as a surprise given Kishan’s growing importance in India’s middle order, as evidenced by his two half-centuries in the T20I series against Australia before being rested for Jitesh Sharma.

“Ishan wasn’t happy that he was travelling without much game time. He is on a break right now and is vacationing. In any case, selectors are in all likelihood are looking beyond Kishan. It will be interesting if he is picked for the England Test series where KS Bharat will be back behind the stumps,” the BCCI source told PTI.

Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson have been named as keepers for Afghanistan T20Is. And selectors have the option of KL Rahul as well. Rishabh Pant will most probably make his comeback in the IPL 2024 to boost the chances of the Indian team.

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