Ishan Kishan last represented India in November 2023, but soon after, he cited mental fatigue due to the hectic travel schedule and requested a sabbatical from international cricket. This break from the game came at a cost, as the BCCI eventually dropped him from the central contract list, primarily because he did not meet the board’s mandate to participate in domestic cricket.
However, Ishan Kishan made a strong comeback in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, smashing a century against Railways, reminding everyone of his capabilities with the bat. According to reports from NDTV Sports, Kishan might soon make his way to Australia ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November.
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While he isn’t expected to join the senior Indian team, he is likely to feature in two four-day Tests against Australia A and participate in an intra-squad match with the senior team. India A is scheduled to play two four-day Tests, the first at McKay from October 31 to November 3, and the second at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from November 7 to 10.
INDIA A Likey Squad for the Australia A Tour: (ESPNcricinfo)
Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Easwaran, Sudharsan, Padikkal, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Porel, Mukesh, Indrajith, Bhui, Nitish Reddy, Manav Suthar, N Saini, Khaleel, Yash Dayal, Kotian. pic.twitter.com/4nwFZ95vAx
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) October 19, 2024
Ishan Kishan, currently captaining Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy, helped his team secure a draw against Assam in their opening match of the season. Regarding the India A team’s leadership, it’s expected that either Ruturaj Gaikwad or Abhimanyu Easwaran will lead the side. Easwaran is fresh off a stellar performance, scoring an unbeaten 127 against Uttar Pradesh.
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With Rohit Sharma set to miss the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, Easwaran is a strong contender for a spot in the Indian squad. He boasts an impressive first-class record, having scored over 7,500 runs at an average above 50, including 27 centuries, making him a key player for India A’s Australian tour.
India A’s likely squad for Australia tour
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, B Indrajith, Abishek Porel (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Mukesh Kumar, Ricky Bhui, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Manav Suthar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Tanush Kotian, Yash Dayal
