Kishan felt discontent and frustration because, despite capitalizing on opportunities, he found himself consistently on the bench, particularly in ODIs and T20Is.
Ishan Kishan has been excluded from the Afghanistan T20Is.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra expressed concern about Ishan Kishan’s absence from the squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.
Kishan, a consistent presence in the Indian squad across formats, had left South Africa before the Test series due to a family emergency. Contrary to Chopra’s tweet, a report from Indian Express clarified that Kishan was available for selection for the Afghanistan T20Is but was dropped without any reasons provided by the BCCI. Speculation suggests that Kishan might have faced disciplinary consequences for his exclusion. The squad, instead, includes Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma as wicketkeeper options.
Kishan was seen training in Vadodara earlier this week, dispelling concerns about his fitness and mental fatigue. However, despite his preparation, he was not selected, and according to the Express report, there might be more to this decision.
The report suggests that Kishan has been discontented and frustrated with being on the bench despite performing well in various formats, particularly in ODIs and T20Is. He has apparently been seeking a break from the team management and BCCI selectors since the ODI World Cup last year, but his requests were not accommodated.
In contrast to other members of the World Cup squad, Kishan was included in the T20I squad for the home series against Australia. Although he was given a break from the last two matches, he remained with the squad. The 25-year-old then sought a break from the white-ball segment of the South Africa tour but was denied.
Kishan went to Dubai after expressing mental fatigue. This occurred when he was selected for the Test squad, but he sensed that KL Rahul might take his place in the playing XI as a specialist keeper. Consequently, the situation escalated. Kishan mentioned mental fatigue and family obligations, leading the BCCI to withdraw him from the Test squad and designate KS Bharat as the backup keeper.
Unexpectedly, Kishan, rather than returning home to spend time with his family during the break, opted to go to Dubai, where he was observed enjoying social activities. A source familiar with the situation stated, “He informed the team management about experiencing mental fatigue due to continuous travel and a desire to spend time with his family. However, he chose to travel to Dubai and engaged in socializing,” as reported.
However, those in close proximity to the player pose a counter question: “Why does it matter where he spends his time when he’s given a break? He seeks distance from the game due to the mental toll of constant travel and warming the bench. Additionally, he was in Dubai for his brother’s birthday celebrations.”
Kishan, a consistently impressive performer, finds himself not being a regular in the India XI. Despite making his debut in mid-2021 and being a consistent member of the ODI and T20I squads, Kishan has played only 27 ODIs and 32 T20Is. He seldom gets a series of matches consecutively and his role has varied. At times, the management has considered him as a backup opener, and at other times as a specialist keeper. All these factors may have influenced the left-hander’s mindset. The fact that he has never been the first-choice opener or keeper in any format could have impacted his mentality.
No one can blame Kishan for missed opportunities. When India was gradually moving away from Shikhar Dhawan as an ODI opener, Kishan scored a double century against Bangladesh but eventually lost his place to Shubman Gill. Asked to bat in the middle order during the Asia Cup, he played well against Pakistan. His ODI stats, with an average of 42 and a strike rate of 102, speak to his talent.
In T20Is, Kishan has mainly opened with decent results – averaging 25 with a strike rate of 124. When moved to No.3 in the recent home series against Australia, he delivered consecutive half-centuries.
Due to Rishabh Pant’s prolonged injury, India has lacked a stable Test keeper. Kishan got a chance in the West Indies tour after the team lost faith in KS Bharat. While Kishan scored a half-century in three innings, the team opted for Rahul due to his solidity in the middle order.
Currently, it’s unclear if Kishan will be selected for the upcoming five-match home series against England starting on January 25.
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