{"id":"f-73cd9b4b27-f5ec780d-a5aa-5609-93e3-2bf106faee4a","title":"Ishan Kishan’s prolonged India exile to end as wicket-keeper batter set to return against New Zealand","description":"Wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan is all set to make his India comeback after over two years in the 1st T20I against New Zealand on Wednesday.","timestamp":1768987200,"category":"sports","headline":"Ishan Kishan’s prolonged India exile to end as wicket-keeper batter set to return against New Zealand","modifiedHeadline":"How Ishan Kishan earned his India comeback spot","subCategories":["scid_185ed133"],"region":"IN","bundleMetaData":{"bundleId":"6ff0e53c-03a9-4fac-a199-00040694f01a","bundleTitle":"Indian Cricket","cardData":null},"iabCategoryId":"491","fcSummary":"ishan kishan returns to india's playing xi for the first t20i against new zealand, batting at number three. after a break and subsequent domestic success, kishan earns his spot back, with captain suryakumar yadav confirming his inclusion in world cup plans.","summary":"Ishan Kishan earned his spot back in the Indian team with consistent performances, silencing critics and proving his value ahead of key T20I matches.","ctaUrl":"https://trends.glance.com/newz/astrology/IN/en/news9/f-73cd9b4b27-f5ec780d-a5aa-5609-93e3-2bf106faee4a","sourceUrl":"https://www.news9live.com/sports/cricket-news/ishan-kishans-prolonged-india-exile-to-end-as-wicket-keeper-batter-set-to-return-against-new-zealand-2921278","bannerImage":"https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/image/wymxZKKCUAt0.webp","content":"

New Delhi: Ishan Kishan is all set to return to action for India after over two years. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirmed the wicket-keeper batter

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will be part of India’s playing XI in the first T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Wednesday, January 21. Kishan will bat at no.3 for India in the absence of injured Tilak Varma.

Kishan, who earned his spot back in India’s T20I squad after his stellar show for champions Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year, will be making his comeback to international cricket after 785 days. He last played for India in a T20I against Australia in November 2023.

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Kishan, who opted for a mental break at the time, was subsequently dropped from the Indian setup and also left out of BCCI’s central contracts, along with current ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, for not prioritising domestic cricket. The swashbuckling left-hander forced his way back into the Indian team with his consistent performances in the domestic circuit.

India have roped in Shreyas Iyer in the T20I squad as a replacement for Tilak, who is recovering from testicular torsion. However, speaking at the pre-match presser on Tuesday, skipper Suryakumar confirmed the team management has decided Kishan will bat at no.3 for India in the 1st T20I against the Kiwis.

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“Yes, Ishan will play at No.3. He’s part of our World Cup plans, and we’ve picked him in the squad. He hasn’t played for India for a long time, but he’s been doing well in domestic cricket. He hasn’t played for India for about a year or more, so he deserves this opportunity,” said Suryakumar at the presser.

“If it was about No.4 or No.5, the situation might have been different. But unfortunately, Tilak isn’t available, and I think Ishan is the best option at No.3,” he added.

The decision is a sensible one from the Indian team management as Kishan is also part of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad along with Tilak, who is expected to recover in time for the showpiece event. Kishan has not played for India for a long time and needs regular game time before the World Cup.

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How did Ishan Kishan earn his spot back in the Indian team?

Kishan has been a consistent performer for Jharkhand in the domestic circuit for quite some time now, but it was his remarkable show in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, India’s premier domestic T20 tournament, that made heads turn and forced the selectors to take notice of his performances. Kishan led Jharkhand to their maiden SMAT title and finished the tournament as the highest run-getter.

He smashed an impressive 517 runs in 10 innings in the tournament at an average of 57.44 and a stunning strike rate of over 197. Kishan consistently provided Jharkhand with explosive starts at the top while opening the batting and also hammered a match-winning 101 off just 49 balls in the final against Haryana to inspire his team to glory.

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His impressive performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy convinced the selectors to pick him in India’s T20I squad for the New Zealand series and the T20 World Cup 2026 over ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill.

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Ishan Kishan’s prolonged India exile to end as wicket-keeper batter set to return against New Zealand

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