Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has successfully returned to the national selectors’ red-ball plans following an exceptional and dominant campaign in the Duleep Trophy. Captaining East Zone in the final against South Zone in Chennai, Kishan delivered a monumental knock of 270 runs from 334 balls, anchoring the crease for 522 minutes. He wrapped up the tournament as the leading run-scorer with a total of 409 runs, significantly strengthening his case for a Test recall.
With the interim chief selector Pragyan Ojha and the national selection committee scheduled to meet to finalize squads for the upcoming multi-format series, discussions have begun regarding keeping Kishan ready for red-ball cricket. However, scheduling conflicts pose a unique challenge for the management. Because India’s upcoming India A fixtures in New Zealand heavily overlap with the national team’s scheduled T20I and ODI commitments, Kishan is unlikely to feature in the four-day A matches, as he is expected to be part of the white-ball setup. Consequently, other wicketkeeping options like Dhruv Jurel and Kumar Kushagra are being considered to take up duties for the India A side.
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Meanwhile, other Test regulars are also slated to receive vital exposure to New Zealand conditions. Rishabh Pant, focusing heavily on Test cricket, is expected to participate in at least one India A match as part of his preparation. He is likely to be joined by fellow Test players KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, and Sai Sudharsan. Rahul is expected to play the opening fixture before linking up with the ODI squad in Auckland.
