Barring Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah, all the regular Indian players featured in the fifth round of the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) on January 3. The likes of Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj all returned for their respective domestic sides. So did Ishan Kishan, who played his second game of the tournament for Jharkhand.
Ishan Kishan in India’s plans
In the first game, Kishan scripted history books. Fresh off guiding Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) triumph with a fantastic campaign, Kishan hammered a scintillating 33-ball century. He became the Indian with the second-fastest century in the history of List-A cricket, with the fastest coming in 32 balls by Sakibul Gani on the same day.
In between the two developments, Kishan became a surprise inclusion in India’s T20 World Cup squad. Despite not playing any international cricket in the last two years, Kishan was selected after his SMAT heroics. Shubman Gill’s poor T20 form and the obsession to include Rinku Singh as a finisher also played their part in clearing the way for Kishan. Now, Kishan will be seen in India’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting January 21.
However, prior to that, there have been reports that the BCCI might be looking to add Kishan to the ODI team as well. He was touted to replace Rishabh Pant in the ODI team as a second-choice keeping option after KL Rahul. While it would be harsh on Pant, who has been part of India’s ODI team, to get dropped without getting a game in the entire 2025, BCCI has a plan for Kishan. They want Kishan to be part of the dressing room before the T20 World Cup and the T20I series and get hold of the environment of how the current management under Gautam Gambhir works.
Ishan Kishan fails on selection day
Whoever is selected, Pant or Kishan, is anyway not likely to get a game time in the three ODIs, as KL Rahul will play. Regardless, Kishan didn’t help his cause by not playing the previous three rounds of fixtures for Jharkhand. On January 3, the Jharkhand captain returned but failed to make an impact as he was out for a run-a-ball 21. In a high-profile game against Sanju Samson’s Kerala, Kishan came to bat at number five and batted with his natural attacking instincts before getting dismissed by part-timer Baba Aparajith.
Just after his wicket, Kumar Kushagra and Anukul Roy batted magnificently and saved Jharkhand as they added 176 runs for the fifth wicket. Kushagra joined the likes of Axar Patel, Devdutt Padikkal and Hardik Pandya as century makers on Saturday.
Now, January 3 also happens to be the day when the BCCI will announce the squad for the three ODIs against New Zealand. Will his failure on this day go against him? Will BCCI back his incredible domestic run until now and have him in the squad to get accustomed before the World Cup? Or will they back Rishabh Pant and won’t do injustice to his spot? All answers will be given by EOD!
