Reports suggest that Ishan Kishan may soon return to India’s T20 International squad during the upcoming series against Bangladesh. Kishan, who recently grabbed attention as part of the Rest of India squad, did not receive a central contract last season due to his decision to skip domestic cricket at the BCCI's request.
As the Indian team gears up for the second Test against Bangladesh, starting on September 27 in Kanpur, several players, including Sarfaraz Khan, wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, and pacer Yash Dayal, could be released for the Irani Cup if not selected for the Test XI. The Rest of India squad, captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad, will face Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai in Lucknow from October 1-5. The BCCI clarified that Jurel and Dayal’s participation in the Irani Cup depends on their involvement in the Test.
Sources reveal that if wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant faces any issues during the Test, KL Rahul will take over as his replacement. Additionally, Sarfaraz Khan, Mumbai’s star batsman, is expected to join Ajinkya Rahane’s side if not selected for the Test.
Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur will also make his return to first-class cricket during the Irani Cup after recovering from surgery. Other notable players, including Shreyas Iyer, Musheer Khan, Shams Mulani, and Tanush Kotian, are set to play for Mumbai. However, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube will miss the Irani Cup as they are scheduled to report to Gwalior by October 3 for the T20I series, which begins on October 6.
Kishan, who recently impressed with a century in the Duleep Trophy, has reaffirmed his dedication to domestic cricket. If Jurel plays in the Irani Cup, Kishan could find himself as the second wicketkeeper, alongside Sanju Samson, for the T20I series against Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Avesh Khan and Arshdeep Singh are expected to be selected for the T20Is, along with Suryakumar and Dube, as they are not part of the Rest of India squad.
Rest of India Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Abhimanyu Easwaran (v-c), Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk)*, Ishan Kishan (wk), Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar, Yash Dayal*, Ricky Bhui, Shashwat Rawat, Khaleel Ahmed, Rahul Chahar.
Mumbai Squad: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Prithvi Shaw, Ayush Mhatre, Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan*, Shreyas Iyer, Siddhesh Lad, Suryansh Shedge, Hardik Tamore (wk), Sidhaant Addhatrao (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Himanshu Singh, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, Mohammad Juned Khan, Royston Dias.