Ishan Kishan to Lead Jharkhand in Buchi Babu Trophy for First-Class Cricket Comeback

Ishan Kishan, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter, will captain Jharkhand in the upcoming Buchi Babu Trophy in Tamil Nadu. This move marks Kishan's return to first-class cricket before potentially rejoining the India squad. The tournament starts on August 15, with Kishan expected to join the team in Chennai.

India's wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan is set to captain Jharkhand in the Buchi Babu Trophy, a long-format cricket tournament commencing on August 15 in Tamil Nadu, according to Espncricinfo. Kishan was initially not part of the Jharkhand squad but confirmed his participation and will join the team in Chennai on Wednesday.

This marks the 26-year-old's attempt to make a comeback in first-class cricket ahead of a potential recall to the India squad for the upcoming Test series. Sources revealed that the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) added Kishan to the tournament roster following his request to participate.

A JSCA official reported to ESPNcricinfo, "With Ishan, it was never about ability. It was only about whether he was ready to return. When Kishan wasn't included initially, it was because we hadn't heard from him. The moment he expressed his keenness to return, he was drafted in."

Kishan has faced a challenging year in his career. Earlier in the year, along with Shreyas Iyer, he was omitted from the BCCI's central contracts. He also skipped recent Ranji Trophy matches despite not featuring for the national team. Last year, he pulled out of the South Africa Test series for personal reasons and has primarily played T20s since then.

Upon his return, Kishan played for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the 18th DY Patil T20 Cup 2024, aiding in one dismissal and scoring 19 runs off 12 balls. Subsequently, he performed for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, amassing 320 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 148.84.

Kishan has also impressed in other formats, having made 32 T20I appearances with 796 runs at an average of 25.7 and 27 ODI matches with 933 runs at an average of 42.4. In red-ball cricket, he has played two matches, scoring 78 runs.