Ishan Kishan has been in the news lately because of his prolonged absence from the Indian team. The wicketkeeper-batter was last seen in action during the home T20I series against Australia in November 2023.
Kishan withdrew from the Test series in South Africa last December, citing personal reasons. Since then, the left-hander has not been picked in any of the Indian squads.
Despite repeated reminders from head coach Rahul Dravid and BCCI secretary Jay Shah, the 25-year-old didn't make himself available for Jharkhand in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.
Amid the speculation over his absence, Ishan Kishan on Thursday (February 22) posted a video of him sweating out in the gym with his Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya.
In the video shared on Instagram, the southpaw was seen performing all high-intensity exercises in the gym.
Recently, a report claimed that Ishan Kishan has been training alongside Hardik Pandya in Vadodara’s Reliance Cricket Stadium for the past few weeks. He is likely to return to action in the IPL 2024 season, due to start on March 22.
It was only last week that the BCCI secretary Jay Shah said players prioritising domestic cricket over IPL was not anticipated.
“There is a recent trend that has started to emerge and is a cause for concern. Some players have begun prioritising the IPL over domestic cricket, a shift that was not anticipated. Domestic cricket has always been the foundation upon which Indian cricket stands, and it has never been undervalued in our vision for the sport,” Shah wrote in a letter addressed to players.
“Our vision for Indian cricket has been clear from the outset – every cricketer aspiring to play for India must prove themselves in domestic cricket. Performance in domestic cricket remains a critical yardstick for selection and non-participation in domestic cricket will carry severe implications,” he added.
