Keeper-batter Ishan Kishan falls cheaply on return to competitive cricket 

Team India keeper-batter Ishan Kishan made a return to competitive cricket in the ongoing DY Patil T20 Cup in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday, February 27 at the DY Patil University Ground.

Representing RBI, the 25-year-old stumped Sumit Dhekale off seamer Sayan Mondal’s bowling. However, with the bat, he was dismissed for 19 off 12 balls, an innings in which he hit two fours and a six. Ishan’s team ultimately went down to Route Mobile Limited by 89 runs.

Kishan has been under the scanner for skipping Ranji Trophy matches despite BCCI’s clear instructions that centrally contracted players must play domestic cricket if fit. During his break, the cricketer was reportedly training with Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya in Baroda.

Speaking of Kishan’s comeback match, Route Mobile Limited batted first and put up 192/8 on the board in their 20 overs. Aayush Vartan scored 54 off 31 balls, while Dhekale contributed 42. In reply, RBI were bowled out for 103 in 16.3 overs. For Route, Badrey Alam starred with brilliant figures of 5/20.

Kishan last turned out for India in a T20I against Australia in Guwahati in November 2023. After scoring half-centuries in his previous two innings in the series, he was dismissed for a duck in this match.

The left-handed batter was picked in the Indian team for the two-match Test series in South Africa, but he later pulled out citing personal reasons. Subsequently, Kishan did not find a place in India’s squad for the T20I series at home against Afghanistan as well as the ongoing five-match Test series against England.

Before Kishan, his Mumbai Indians captain Pandya also made a return to competitive cricket in the DY Patil T20 Cup. The all-rounder, who injured his ankle during the 2023 World Cup league match against Bangladesh, picked up 2/22 from 3 overs, playing for Reliance 1 against Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.

Pandya then batted at No. 11 and scored 3* off 4 as Reliance 1 beat Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited by two wickets.

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With Jurel’s emergence, Kishan falls back in the race for India’s Test keeper slot

In Rishabh Pant’s absence, India handed a Test debut to Kishan in the West Indies last year, after KS Bharat failed to grab his opportunities. The Jharkhand cricketer even scored an impressive half-century in Port of Spain in the second Test of the series.

With him not being considered for the home Tests against England, Bharat and Dhruv Jurel were picked as keeper-batters. While the former has continued to disappoint, Jurel grabbed his chances and put up a Player of the Match-winning effort in Ranchi. He scored 90 & 39* in his two innings to lift India to a series-clinching triumph.