:
What has been worrying is that Ishan Kishan has further dropped in the pecking order amid the likes of Dhruv Jurel and Jitesh Sharma.
Just before the semifinals of the 2024 T20 World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) offered a glimpse into the future of the T20I format without veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. They announced a fresh Indian squad for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. The Shubman Gill-led team will play five T20Is starting July 6, featuring no players from the World Cup-winning squad, as they have all been rested. A few players from the World Cup side will join the team in the final phase of the series.
Twice over the last week, the BCCI has made changes to the squad. Initially, Shivam Dube replaced the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy. However, on Tuesday, the selectors made more comprehensive adjustments, removing Dube from the squad. The committee named Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma, and Harshit Rana as replacements for Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe. The T20 World Cup-winning trio will join the Indian side for the final two T20I matches.
But where is Ishan Kishan?
Until mid-2023, Ishan was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in the T20I format, especially with uncertainties surrounding Rishabh Pant’s return. As the team focused on building towards the 2024 T20 World Cup, Ishan’s versatility as a left-handed batsman who could slot in anywhere in the lineup made him a valuable asset.
