In the ongoing Irani Cup, Ishan Kishan finds himself left out of the Rest of India’s playing XI, with Dhruv Jurel preferred as the wicketkeeper. Kishan, who had scored his seventh first-class hundred just three weeks ago in the Duleep Trophy, faces another setback after missing out on India’s T20I squad for the series against Bangladesh.
Kishan’s Battle for a Comeback
After opting out of the domestic season earlier, Kishan had been directed by the BCCI to focus on domestic cricket for a pathway back into the Indian team. He started strong with a comeback in the Buchi Babu tournament and then impressed in the Duleep Trophy, earning him a place in the Rest of India’s squad. However, in the Irani Cup clash against Mumbai, the decision to play Jurel over Kishan suggests a focus on providing match time to Jurel, who is seen as India’s second-choice Test wicketkeeper behind Rishabh Pant.
Gaikwad’s Team Choices
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad chose Jurel as the wicketkeeper, given the stacked 15-member squad. In another notable decision, Khaleel Ahmed was picked over Prasidh Krishna, despite Yash Dayal, another left-arm pacer, already being present in the lineup.
Kishan’s Double Disappointment
This selection marks the second disappointment in three days for Kishan, who was also not selected for the India vs Bangladesh T20I series. While Jurel’s inclusion is understandable given his role in the Test setup since the England series, Kishan’s non-selection over Jitesh Sharma, who has not featured for India since January, could be disheartening.
Rest of India’s Playing XI vs Mumbai
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, Ricky Bhui, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Manav Suthar, Rahul Chahar, Yash Dayal,Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed.
