Ishan Kishan has suffered a back sprain just days after playing a starring role in East Zone’s Duleep Trophy triumph, raising concerns over his availability for India’s upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Kishan had only recently switched from red-ball cricket to T20 mode after leading East Zone to their first Duleep Trophy title in 13 years.
However, the wicketkeeper-batter sustained the injury during a nets session in New Delhi ahead of the opening T20I on Sunday. The incident occurred when Kishan attempted to move away from a short delivery bowled by India pacer Navdeep Saini. The 28-year-old immediately appeared to be in discomfort and was attended to by outgoing India team physio Kamlesh Jain.
Kishan subsequently walked off the field and did not return to the nets, leaving his fitness for the Afghanistan series uncertain. However, Saini later provided a positive update after speaking to his former teammate.
ALSO READ: Jasprit Bumrah Tests Vaibhav Sooryavanshi In Nets Ahead Of Afghanistan T20I
“Me and Ishan have played together for quite a while. We know each other very well. I know his weaknesses, so I thought of exploiting it with a short ball. He couldn’t play it. I walked up to him later and asked him how he is doing. He said he is doing fine, so there is nothing to worry about,” Navdeep Saini was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
Ishan Kishan developed a sprain on backside of his waist while trying to sway from a short ball bowled by net bowler Navdeep Saini.#INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/aq12zkNKpm
— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) September 11, 2026
The seriousness of the back sprain is expected to become clearer after Kishan gets sufficient rest and undergoes further assessment.
The timing is particularly unfortunate given Kishan’s outstanding recent form. He scored more than 300 runs in the Duleep Trophy final, producing a remarkable 270 in East Zone’s first innings before adding 80 in the second innings. East Zone eventually secured the title after taking a massive first-innings lead over South Zone.
WATCH – Virat Kohli Meets Eknath Shinde In London To Discuss Sports Development
Kishan has also been in excellent form since returning to international cricket earlier this year. He replaced Sanju Samson as an opener in India’s T20I setup and played a key role in the team’s historic T20 World Cup triumph, finishing as their second-highest run-scorer behind Samson. He is also part of India’s squad for the 2026 Asian Games, making his fitness an important concern for the team management.
