Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja has raised questions about the exclusion of Ishan Kishan from the last two matches of the T20I series against Australia.
Kishan, who played in the first three T20Is of the Australia series after the ICC World Cup 2023, was released from the team after the third match.
India were already without the big guns like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah. Shreyas Iyer, who had played all 11 games in the World Cup, was flown in as Suryakumar's deputy for the final two encounters against Australia, as Kishan faced the ace.
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Jadeja questioned the decision, expressing his skepticism about Kishan being tired after just three matches while emphasizing the batsman's potential as a game-changer and his ability to score big on a good day.
What did Ajay Jadeja say about Ishan Kishan's exclusion?
"There was a series right after the World Cup. Ishan Kishan played three matches and went home. Was he really that tired after three matches that he needed rest? He didn't even play a lot of games at the World Cup. He deserved his spot in the playing XI for the first few World Cup matches," he told while speaking to Sports Tak.
"How many Indian players have scored a double century on a good day? He can change the game on his day. When will he get ready? Will you keep him in on trial all the time? In the last two years, how many games has he played? This problem of Indian cricket is not of today, it is very old that we don’t select (players) but reject them," Jadeja told Sports Tak.
How did Ishan Kishan perform against Australia?
Ishan Kishan played impressive knocks of 58 off 39 balls in Visakhapatnam and 52 off 32 balls in Thiruvananthapuram, before falling for a duck in the third T20I. Despite his contributions, Kishan was sent home after three matches for rest, prompting Jadeja to question the management's approach to player readiness.
What next for India?
India will fly to South Africa for a complete trip which will see the Men in Blue participate in three T20I and ODIs each and two tests.
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