The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) surprised everyone by including Ishan Kishan in the India C squad just minutes before the start of their second Duleep Trophy 2024 match against India B. On Thursday, September 12, in Anantapur, Kishan made a last-minute entry into the playing XI, replacing Aryan Juyal in the lineup. This unexpected move caught fans and experts off guard, as Kishan was initially named in the India D squad.

The BCCI had previously announced that India C would retain an unchanged squad for the second round of the Duleep Trophy. Yet, without any official statement or explanation, Kishan’s inclusion in the India C squad raised questions, sparking speculation about the reasons behind this sudden change.

Ishan Kishan’s Return After Injury

Kishan had missed the first match of the Duleep Trophy due to a groin injury sustained while playing for Jharkhand in the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament. Sanju Samson replaced him in the India D squad for that match. The BCCI had issued a media release stating, “Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the first round of the Duleep Trophy due to a groin injury. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring his condition and working towards ensuring a swift recovery.”

Fan Demand and Pressure on BCCI

In the lead-up to the second round, fans voiced their frustration over Kishan’s absence from the tournament, with the hashtag “Bring back Ishan Kishan” trending on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Both India head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar faced mounting pressure to reinstate the wicketkeeper-batter, following his strong performances in domestic cricket, including a century in the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament.

The decision to include Kishan in the India C squad, despite his recent injury and his omission from the original squads for the second round, has raised questions about whether the BCCI acted under public pressure. Many fans criticized the board for overlooking Kishan in recent national selections and for his exclusion from the BCCI’s central contracts.

Playing XI for the Duleep Trophy 2024 Match:

India C Playing XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ishan Kishan, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Baba Indrajith, Abishek Porel (wk), Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Mayank Markande, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Sandeep Warrier.

India B Playing XI: Abhimanyu Easwaran (c), N Jagadeesan (wk), Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, Rinku Singh, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, R Sai Kishore, Navdeep Saini, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar.

This last-minute change has added a layer of intrigue to the Duleep Trophy, with Ishan Kishan’s return to red-ball cricket now in the spotlight.