Former India 12th man Ishan Kishan made a surprising appearance in the India C playing XI during the second round of the Duleep Trophy 2024. The Jharkhand-born wicketkeeper-batter, who has been sidelined from the national team since the ODI World Cup 2023, reentered the spotlight without prior notice, leaving fans and experts alike baffled. Despite being listed in the India D squad initially, Kishan took the field for India C, replacing Aryan Juyal, sparking curiosity over the BCCI’s unexplained decision.

Ishan's journey from ODI World Cup to Duleep Trophy

Once a pivotal player for Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, Ishan Kishan’s journey took a turn after the ODI World Cup 2023. The wicketkeeper-batter was named in the India D squad for the Duleep Trophy, but a groin injury kept him out of action during the first round. However, after scoring a century in the Buchi Babu Trophy, Ishan made his return, this time for India C, despite no official changes being announced for the squad.

His sudden appearance in India C's playing XI ignited social media, with fans campaigning for his return to the national team under the hashtag "Bring Back Ishan Kishan." BCCI’s silence on this shift only fueled the confusion, as no official statement explained the switch.

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Confusion surrounds BCCI’s move as Ishan eyes comeback

The BCCI's decision not to make an official announcement regarding Ishan’s inclusion in the India C squad left fans scratching their heads. Many questioned why the batter was listed for India D and then quietly moved to India C. Kishan’s last international appearance was during the South Africa tour in 2023, and his absence since has been a topic of speculation.

Ishan Kishan continuing from where he left off in red ball cricket

Got a 33 ball 50 in the last first class red ball match he played (for India v West Indies)

Goes into lunch with 20 off just 15 balls in #DuleepTrophy

— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) September 12, 2024

Ishan was announced as 1st choice wk for india d for 1st round then he got ruled out due to groin injury & sanju replaced him in d side, then he was not part of any squad for 2nd round but right now he is in playing 11 of India C which was announced as unchanged for 2nd round pic.twitter.com/V2BsZow9xA

— Vishal (@Fanpointofviews) September 12, 2024

Dropped after scoring 200
Dropped after playing a gem 82 vs pak in Asia cup saviour knock
Dropped after scoring 2 consecutive 50s in t20is
Dropped after scoring 50 in test
The poor luck of Ishan 💔

Give Him A Chance Please @BCCI@GautamGambhir
BRING BACK ISHAN KISHAN pic.twitter.com/w9hPv35Qm4

— KIRON GHOSAL (@KIRONGHOSA96823) September 11, 2024

Having taken a break after the ODI World Cup and missing out on the Ranji Trophy, Ishan was also omitted from BCCI’s central contracts list. Now, with his return in the Duleep Trophy, the left-hander hopes to make a significant impact and prove his worth to the selectors. A strong performance here could reignite his international career and make a compelling case for his inclusion in future national squads.