Fans Demand Ishan Kishan’s Return: BCCI Makes Surprising Squad Changes Amidst Growing Speculation

India’s cricket fans were abuzz with calls for Ishan Kishan’s return as head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar faced mounting pressure. The hashtag ‘Bring Back Ishan Kishan’ trended on X on Thursday morning, just hours before the second round of the Duleep Trophy were set to begin.

Kishan, who had recently made an impressive comeback with a century for the Jharkhand Cricket Association in the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament, was expected to feature for the India D team in the Duleep Trophy.

However, a groin injury sustained during the Buchi Babu tournament forced him to miss the first round of the Duleep Trophy. The BCCI confirmed his withdrawal, stating, “Wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the first round of the Duleep Trophy due to a groin injury. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring his condition.”

Sanju Samson replaced Kishan in the India D squad. Despite the BCCI’s statement indicating Kishan would only miss the first round, fans held out hope for his return in the second round. However, these hopes were dashed when the revised squad lists for the India vs. Bangladesh Test series were released without any mention of Kishan.

The BCCI’s latest media statement did not address Kishan’s situation, leading to increased speculation and questions about his recovery. Amidst the uproar to ‘bring Ishan Kishan back,’ the BCCI made an unexpected move. Kishan was included in the playing XI for India C against India B in Anantapur, replacing Aryan Juyal.

Interestingly, Kishan was not initially part of the India C squad, having been listed in the India D team. The BCCI had previously stated that India C’s squad remained unchanged, making Kishan’s sudden inclusion all the more surprising. This change came with no prior announcement, adding to the confusion among fans and analysts alike.

Ishan Kishan had been a regular member of the Indian squad across all formats until his return from the South Africa tour last year. His decision to withdraw from domestic cricket citing mental health issues led to his exclusion from national squads and central contracts, a move that did not sit well with the Agarkar-led selection committee.

The unexpected reappearance of Kishan in the India C XI has stirred significant interest, with fans and pundits eager to see how his return might impact the team and his future prospects.