Aakash Chopra, former India opener, expects Ishan Kishan to put in his best performance in IPL 2024 despite facing challenges in the game.
Recently, the young wicketkeeper-batter had his BCCI central contract terminated due to his decision not to participate in domestic cricket.
Kishan has been away from cricket since December, when he withdrew from India’s Test series against South Africa for personal reasons. He requested time off from the Indian team management to recuperate from mental fatigue, a decision supported by both the management and selectors.
Facing a string of unfortunate events, Ishan Kishan’s situation worsened when the BCCI excluded him from their annual retention contract list for 2023-2024, which was released on February 28. With no cricket involvement since December 2023, Aakash Chopra believes Kishan will aim to stage his comeback in the upcoming IPL.
“Ishan Kishan will be hungry, as he has not received a central contract. This is the only thing he is playing for. What else does he have?” Chopra stated in his YouTube video.
Reflecting on Kishan’s absence from the England series and his purported reluctance to engage in domestic cricket, Chopra believes Kishan should seize the opportunity to revive his career in IPL 2024.
“Either he has voluntarily chosen not to play, or he won’t be selected now. So this is his chance. If you make the IPL your own, you have chances of progressing. Then there is, of course, Wankhede’s flat pitch. The ball will come nicely onto the bat and go far,” Chopra added.
In his recent T20I outings, Kishan has only amassed a total of 170 runs across his last 10 innings. In ODI cricket, his performance hasn’t been much better, with just 15 runs scored in his last 7 innings. Even in his two Test appearances, he has only managed to accumulate 78 runs.
However, Kishan showcased promise during IPL 2023, where he amassed 454 runs in 16 matches.
The upcoming IPL season holds significant importance for Kishan, presenting him with an opportunity to regain form and stake his claim for a spot in the national team once again.
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