Ishan Kishan needs to start playing to be considered for selection: Rahul Dravid

Ishan Kishan has been out of the action following his request for a break from cricket due to mental fatigue. However, public scrutiny arose when Kishan was seen enjoying himself in Dubai despite his hiatus. Later, he shared images of himself meditating, seemingly addressing the criticism.

Now, Indian team coach Rahul Dravid has stressed the importance of Kishan playing to be considered for selection. Dravid affirmed that the selection committee has maintained communication with the young cricketer, indicating that Kishan's return to action could be pivotal for his future prospects in the national team.

"Ishan Kishan needs to start playing to be considered for selection, we are in touch with him," Dravid said as quoted by Times Now.

In a hiatus from the cricketing scene since the South Africa tour, Ishan Kishan's return remains uncertain. The southpaw opted out of the Test squad for the South Africa series, though present during the fixtures, he wasn't slated for the final XI, with KL Rahul donning the gloves instead. Since November 2023, he hasn't graced the professional arena and is skipping the ongoing domestic season, sidelining himself from Ranji Trophy action for Jharkhand, consequently ruling out his selection for Team India.

Ishan Kishan is set to make comeback in IPL 2024

Named in both the T20I and Test squads against South Africa, the wicket-keeper batter remained on the bench throughout the T20I series. However, the Mumbai Indians' faithful may anticipate his comeback in IPL 2024, given the stakes with the impending T20 World Cup immediately following the league. Solid performances in the IPL's initial phase might pave his way back into the T20I fold.

Shifting the focus to the action on the field, India clinched a commanding 106-run triumph in the second Test encounter against England. Spearheaded by Yashasvi Jaiswal's stellar double-century, the hosts posted a formidable 396 on the scoreboard, restricting England to 255. Subsequently, Shubman Gill rose to the occasion in the second innings, notching up a century as India amassed 255 runs. Pursuing a challenging target of 399, England faltered, succumbing to a total of 292 runs.