NEW DELHI: Last Sunday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had said in a release that wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will miss the two-Test series against South Africa, starting December 26.
Kishan had requested to be released citing ‘personal reasons’ and the board subsequently acknowledged his request.
But now a report in the Indian Express says that Kishan opted out of the South Africa tour because of “mental fatigue” due to constant travel with the Indian team.
According to the report, Kishan requested the Indian team management last week in South Africa to let him take a break as he had been travelling non-stop for the past one year.
The team management spoke to the selectors who agreed to Kishan’s request.
“He informed the team management that he is having mental fatigue and wants a break from cricket for some time. Everyone agreed to it,” quoted the report.
Every Indian squad since January 3, 2023, has included Kishan. He had not necessarily gotten game time because he had been traveling and had scarcely had any breaks. He batted at the top of the order in India’s opening two 50-over World Cup matches before Shubman Gill recovered from a dengue fever and KL Rahul took wickets. After that, he participated in the first three T20I series matches against Australia and scored two half-centuries.
Kishan played in the T20I series in South Africa, however Jitesh Sharma was picked by the team management. Kishan chose to take a vacation despite being a member of both the Test and intra-day squads.
The Indian cricket board has an intense schedule. Following New Zealand’s three T20Is and three ODIs each, the Sri Lanka series (January 3-15) began with three T20Is and as many ODIs played at home.
From February 9 to March 22, Kishan was a member of the Indian team that played Australia at home. He played in just one of the three ODIs and warmed the bench in all four Test matches as the team management opted for KS Bharat.
Kishan played for Mumbai Indians in the whole IPL season. He was flown to England by the selection committee to play as the second wicketkeeper in the World Test Championship final, and then he was scheduled to tour the West Indies from July 12 to August 13. During the tour, he participated in three ODIs, three T20Is, and his first two Tests.
A week later, Kishan was sent to the Asia Cup, which took place in Sri Lanka from September 22-27. Shortly before the World Cup, he played three ODI series against Australia at home.
India’s squad for South Africa Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna, KS Bharat (wk)