“How someone can be fit enough to practice but not play domestic cricket” – Irfan Pathan's indirect response to Ishan Kishan saga

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has expressed his surprise with an indirect message on social media amid Ishan Kishan’s absence from international cricket following his break during the recent two-match Test series in South Africa.

For the unversed, the wicketkeeper-batter withdrew from the two Tests and wasn’t included in India's squad for the subsequent three-match T20I series against the Proteas and the ongoing five-match Test series against England.

Amid this, Team India coach Rahul Dravid has stressed that team management wants Kishan to play some form of cricket before returning to the national side.

Meanwhile, Kishan was recently seen practicing with his new Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, and his elder brother Krunal Pandya, who plays for Lucknow Super Giants, at the Kiran More Academy in Baroda.

“Finding it perplexing how someone can be fit enough to practice but not play domestic cricket. How does this even make sense?” Pathan wrote on X.

Kishan’s absence has raised eyebrows as KS Bharat has failed to deliver with the bat in Tests against England. The latter has scored 92 runs in the first two Tests at a poor average of 23. Overall, Bharat has managed 221 runs in seven Tests at an average of 20.09, without a solitary half-century.

On the other hand, Kishan has played two Tests, scoring 78 at equal average in three innings.

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“He needs to play some cricket and come back” – Rahul Dravid on Ishan Kishan’s absence

Rahul Dravid recently said that Ishan Kishan needs to play some form of cricket, if not domestic cricket, to be considered for Team India selection once again.

He was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz:

"I just don't want to go on laboring about the Ishan Kishan point. Whenever he is ready, I didn't say he has to play domestic cricket, I said whenever he is ready... he needs to play some cricket and come back. The choice is his. We are not forcing him to do anything. We are in touch with him."

"We know what it is. He hasn't yet started playing, right? At the moment, it's not something that we would consider. He is maybe not ready. He decides when he wants to be ready," Dravid added.

Kishan has not participated for Jharkhand in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. The left-handed batter is likely to next feature in the Indian Premier League.