Ishan Kishan is on a comeback trail. The wicketkeeper-batter who had been repeatedly ignored in the national team since leaving the Indian team midway from a Tour of South Africa due to personal reasons, is now playing in Australia for India A. Considered one of the most talented keepers in Indian cricket, the selection will definitely boost his career. Soon, if he continues to perform, he might get a recall in the national team also.
With him behind the stumps, Kishan was back to his chirpy best. In a video that has gone viral on social media, Kishan was seen giving instruction to left-arm spinner Manav Suthar from behind the stumps with Australia’s Marcus Harris batting.
— Nihari Korma (@NihariVsKorma) November 2, 2024
Kishan was last part of the India squad during the tour of South Africa in 2023, which he had left midway. The batter had reportedly taken a personal break which did not go down well with the BCCI. After the player decided to skip the domestic competitions in the run-up to the IPL, the BCCI dropped him from the central contract.
Australia A are on the verge of victory over India A in the first unofficial Test, thanks to captain Nathan McSweeney’s solid batting performance on Day three at the Great Barrier Reef Arena. India A collapsed after B Sai Sudharsan hit his seventh first-class cricket century, leaving Australia A with a target of 225 runs. Australia reached 139/3 at the end of day three’s play and will need 86 more runs to secure victory on day four.
Left-handed batter Sudharsan’s remarkable performance was the highlight of India A’s innings. The young batter displayed resilience and skill to notch a fine hundred, giving India A a fighting chance for a win.
But he lacked support from the rest of the lineup, which saw an all-too-familiar collapse. Ishan Kishan’s 32 off 58 balls was the only standout performance in the lower order after Sudharsan left at 103, as India A made of 312.
The dismissals of Kishan and Nitish Kumar Reddy (17) marked a turning point, as India A struggled to build momentum, with the final wickets falling in quick succession. Australia A’s bowlers shone on day three, with Fergus O’Neill claiming four crucial wickets and Todd Murphy taking three scalps.
With ANI and PTI inputs