Former Star Exposes Indian Cricket Team’s Issue: Ishan Kishan’s Example Highlights the ‘Player Rejection’ Problem

Former India batter Ajay Jadeja has criticized the team management for resting young wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan in the last two T20Is against Australia. Kishan had an impressive performance during India’s 4-1 series win against Australia, scoring 110 runs in three matches, including two fifties. However, he was not given the opportunity to play in the last two matches, with Jitesh Sharma taking his place. Kishan also played only two matches in the recently-concluded World Cup, replacing Shubman Gill due to dengue.

Jadeja believes that Kishan, who has already scored an ODI double century, needs regular game time to further develop his skills. He expressed his concerns about Kishan’s readiness if he continues to be rested frequently. Jadeja stated, “He can change the game on his day. When will he get ready? Will you keep him on trial all the time? In the last two years, how many games has he played? This problem of Indian cricket is not new; we have a history of not selecting players but rejecting them.”

Despite being named in the T20I and Test squads for India’s upcoming tour of South Africa, Kishan has been excluded from the ODI team. Sanju Samson has been chosen as the second-choice keeper over Kishan. The tour will consist of three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Test matches.

India’s Test squad includes Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Mohd. Shami*, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), and Prasidh Krishna.

India’s T20I squad includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Deepak Chahar.

India’s ODI squad includes Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (C)(wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, and Deepak Chahar.