Mental fatigue or rift with team: Actual reason behind Ishan Kishan's absence from Afghanistan T20Is

The conspicuous absence of wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan from the Indian squad named for the Afghanistan T20I series has sparked intrigue and speculation. Initially citing mental fatigue as the reason for his hiatus from cricket, recent revelations suggest that a developing rift with the BCCI management played a pivotal role in Kishan’s decision to step away.

As the BCCI announced the squad for the Afghanistan T20I series, Kishan’s omission raised eyebrows, especially given the emphasis on forming a young and dynamic team. Sources within the BCCI have disclosed that Ishan Kishan wasn’t content with his limited game time during recent travels with the team. Currently on a break, he has chosen to spend his time on vacation, distancing himself from cricket for the time being.

“Ishan wasn’t happy that he was traveling without much game time. He is on a break right now and is vacationing. In any case, selectors are, in all likelihood, looking beyond Kishan. It will be interesting to see if he is picked for the England Test series where KS Bharat will be back behind the stumps,” revealed a BCCI source quoted by NDTV.

The Afghanistan T20I series, scheduled for the 11th, 14th, and 17th of January, will proceed without Ishan Kishan. The India squad, captained by Rohit Sharma, includes an array of young talents like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Tilak Varma. As the team gears up for these contests, the behind-the-scenes developments surrounding Ishan Kishan’s absence add an unexpected layer of complexity to the ongoing narrative in Indian cricket.

India squad for Afghanistan T20Is

Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar