Ishan Kishan determined to make a return to the Indian national team through domestic cricket

Ishan Kishan was the first-choice wicket-keeper of team India till the middle of 2023 as during the time Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul were sidelined due to injuries. Kishan sealed his spot in the Indian tea, after a remarkable performance in the West Indies tour. However, at the end of November, he was downgraded to the bench for the T20I series against South Africa, pressing him to take a mental health break in December. 

At the end of February, Ishan made his return with the DY Patil tournament and later featured in the Indian T20 League 2024. After repeated warnings from the Indian apex board for failing to report for his domestic cricket duties, he lost his Annual Central Contract in the process. This was due to his negligence as the board directs that all top cricketers should represent their state team when not playing for the National side. 

In the recently started India tour of Zimbabwe, Indian selectors called various promising young cricketers from the Indian T20 League 2024. The squad led by Shubman Gill included various youngsters like Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, etc but left out Ishan Kishan.

“Rishabh’s return was a joyous moment. Embracing the challenges of competition against top-tier cricketers elevates one’s game. The sense of accomplishment upon succeeding in such an environment is deeply satisfying. While the journey is tough, the satisfaction that comes from competition is what truly drives you. I relish these opportunities and approach them without undue stress,” Ishan expressed. He has self-confidence and will focus on his future rather than regretting on the missed opportunities. He is eagerly waiting for the commencement of the domestic season so that he can regain his spot in the Indian national team.

“My focus right now is on getting fit and preparing for upcoming tournaments. I’m not dwelling too much on the future, but rather staying in the present. My goal is to become a better player than I was just 6 months ago. I’ll be working on developing some innovative new shots and honing my wicket-keeping skills. 

These are the priorities for me at the moment, rather than getting caught up in the past or speculating about what’s to come. I’m eagerly awaiting the start of the domestic season so I can do my best to perform well for Jharkhand. After that, we’ll see what the future holds,” he added.