In February 2024, BCCI took the big step of not including Ishan Kishan in the list of annual contracted players, which saw the southpaw lose his place in the Indian squad in all three formats of the game.
Ishan Kishan along with Shreyas Iyer were omitted from the BCCI central contract as they did not adhere to the BCCI rule of playing domestic cricket when not in national duty.
Why Was Ishan Kishan Dropped from Team India?
Ishan Kishan was expected to play for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy but cited mental fatigue as the reason for opting out of the match.
Head coach Rahul Dravid, and later BCCI, had directed Ishan Kishan to participate in the domestic circuit to be considered for the national team. His refusal to do so led to his omission from the BCCI annual contract list. The omission was a clear message from BCCI that skipping domestic cricket was not acceptable for any cricketer.
While Shreyas Iyer fought his way back into the Indian team, Ishan lost out due to the heavy competition in the wicketkeeper-batsman slot in all 3 formats of the game.
He however is currently playing domestic cricket and scoring heavily. But will that be enough for the south paw to make a comeback into the Indian dressing room?
IPL 2025: Ishan Kishan’s Team India comeback
The Indian Premier League will act as a lifeline for Ishan Kishan to put his name back into the reckoning with the 2025 season to start in a week.
Even without an annual contract, Ishan still is one of the best wicket keeper batsman in the country. Due to his dual role skill, Ishan has always been one of the big buys in IPL auction and is now set to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured him in the IPL 2025 mega auction for ₹11.25 crore.
Ishan’s Sudden Fall from India’s Squad
Ishan Kishan had made an ODI double hundred and had cemented his place in the ODI format and became front runner to replace Rohit Sharma post his retirement.
Ishan was also in the India squad for the 2023 World Cup and had replaced Rishabh Pant in the Test squad. However, a few ill-advised decisions have left the southpaw struggling to even be the first-choice wicketkeeper in the India A team.
Ishan Kishan needs to stay consistent throughout the IPL season and not lose any opportunity to get back in the Indian Squad.
As the T20 World Cup is the next ICC tournament, selectors and coaches will look to have a left-handed batsman at the top.
Can Ishan Kishan Outperform Sanju Samson & Rishabh Pant?
Ishan Kishan has a good chance to go ahead of Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant in the India squad selection. While Sanju Samson is recovering from injury, Rishabh Pant has been inconsistent in the T20 format.
Ishan Kishan’s IPL batting stats over the years show that he needs to improve his average and strike rate to make a stronger case.
Ishan Kishan IPL Stats by Season
| Season | Team | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
50s | Highest Score |
| 2024 | Mumbai Indians | 14 | 320 | 22.85 | 148.83 | 1 | 69 |
| 2023 | Mumbai Indians | 15 | 454 | 30.26 | 142.76 | 3 | 75 |
| 2022 | Mumbai Indians | 14 | 418 | 32.15 | 120.11 | 3 | 81* |
| 2021 | Mumbai Indians | 10 | 241 | 26.77 | 133.88 | 2 | 84 |
| 2020 | Mumbai Indians | 13 | 516 | 57.33 | 145.76 | 4 | 99 |
| 2019 | Mumbai Indians | 6 | 101 | 16.83 | 101.00 | 0 | 28 |
| 2018 | Mumbai Indians | 12 | 275 | 22.91 | 149.45 | 2 | 62 |
| 2017 | Gujarat Lions | 10 | 277 | 27.70 | 134.46 | 1 | 61 |
| 2016 | Gujarat Lions | 5 | 42 | 8.40 | 102.43 | 0 | 27 |
| Total | 2 teams | 99 | 2644 | 28.43 | 135.86 | 16 | 99 |
Ishan Kishan’s current form
Here’s a more detailed look at Ishan Kishan’s recent domestic performances:
- Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy:
Kishan’s unbeaten 77 off 23 balls helped Jharkhand to a win over Arunachal Pradesh
- Sunrisers Hyderabad Intra-Squad Game:
Before IPL 2025, Kishan smashed a 16-ball half-century in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s intra-squad game.
- Jharkhand Cricket Team Captain:
Kishan was appointed captain of the Jharkhand cricket team for the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, following the retirement of Saurabh Tiwary.
- Duleep Trophy Century:
Ishan scored an impressive century in the Duleep Trophy
- India A Squad:
Kishan was named in the India A squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, after being dropped from the BCCI central contracts earlier this year.
Final Verdict: Can IPL 2025 Bring Ishan Kishan Back?
If Ishan Kishan’s IPL 2025 performance is exceptional, he could force his way back into the Team India squad for the T20 World Cup 2026. With Sanju Samson recovering and Rishabh Pant struggling, a solid IPL season could make Ishan Kishan the best choice for the wicketkeeper role in Team India.
Will IPL 2025 be the stepping stone for Ishan Kishan’s comeback to the national team? Only time will tell!
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