Ishan Kishan, the explosive left-handed batter, is set to make a comeback to the India A team after being dropped from the BCCI central contracts earlier this year. Kishan’s return to the domestic circuit as captain of Jharkhand has paved the way for his inclusion in the India A squad for two four-day “Tests” against Australia A and an intra-squad match with the senior team.
Kishan’s omission from the central contracts raised concerns about his prioritization of the Indian Premier League (IPL) over domestic cricket. However, his recent performances for Jharkhand have demonstrated his commitment to the domestic game.
The two “Tests” against Australia A will be held at McKay from October 31 to November 3 and at the MCG from November 7 to 10. While the BCCI has yet to announce the official squad, Ruturaj Gaikwad or Abhimanyu Easwaran is expected to lead the side.
Easwaran, who has scored four centuries in his last four first-class matches, could also be called up as a backup opener for the senior team. Skipper Rohit Sharma is set to take a break during one of the first two Tests due to personal reasons.
Bengal will be represented in the India A squad by seamer Mukesh Kumar and keeper-batter Abhishek Porel. The likely squad includes:
* Ruturaj Gaikwad
* Abhimanyu Easwaran
* Devdutt Padikkal
* Sai Sudharsan
* B Indrajith
* Abishek Porel (wk)
* Ishan Kishan (wk)
* Mukesh Kumar
* Ricky Bhui
* Nitish Kumar Reddy
* Manav Suthar
* Navdeep Saini
* Khaleel Ahmed
* Tanush Kotian
* Yash Dayal
Kishan’s return to the India A team is a testament to his talent and determination. It also highlights the importance of domestic cricket in the development of Indian players.
