Indian head coach Rahul Dravid has dismissed speculation that Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan was dropped from the Indian squad for the Afghanistan T20 series on disciplinary grounds, stating that he had not made himself unavailable for selection after opting to rest during the two-match test series against South Africa.
According to multiple sources, Ishan Kishan was dropped from the Afghanistan T20Is despite being eligible for selection. The southpaw ruled himself out of the Test series against South Africa owing to personal reasons, while some sources stated that his trip to Dubai and participation in a television game show impacted the team’s decision not to choose him for the series.
During the pre-match news conference ahead of the first T20I, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid dismissed the rumours, saying Ishan Kishan had not yet declared himself eligible for selection.
“Absolutely no disciplinary issue. Ishan Kishan was not available for selection. Ishan requested for a break, which we agreed on in South Africa. We supported it. He has not yet made himself available. When he is available, he will play domestic cricket and make himself available for selection,” Rahul Dravid said.
Ishan Kishan was caught partying in Dubai while on a “mental exhaustion” holiday. In the last 13 months, the Left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman has appeared in all three forms for India but didn’t have many opportunities in the XI. However, he has performed for the team in the given opportunities.
It is reported that The 25-year-old has been told explicitly by Indian team management that he must play first-class cricket if he wants to be India’s primary wicketkeeper for the England series. There have been conflicting rumours about his availability for the same.
According to Cricbuzz, Kishan could declare himself eligible for Jharkhand’s upcoming encounter against Services in Delhi on January 1.
In accordance with the specialized keeper system for the test series in India, KS Bharat has been asked to play in the A series against the England Lions in Ahmedabad, preparing him for the wicketkeeping role. Ishan Kishan remains a viable candidate for this specialized role, given his aggressive brand of cricket.
The team management intends to relieve KL Rahul of the dual responsibilities of wicket-keeping and batting, particularly given the difficulties of keeping wickets on turning Indian pitches. With Rahul returning to the team after the injury, the management wants him to focus on his batting and avoid undue strain.
