Ishan Kishan led East Zone to a massive win in the Duleep Trophy. They beat North East Zone by an innings and 210 runs. It was his 65th first-class match. His previous first-class appearance was in November 2025. In the nine months between, he played 59 games across international and domestic cricket.
Kishan is a white-ball specialist. He admitted that switching formats is not easy. He said situations can get tricky. Moving from white-ball to red-ball cricket requires a change in gameplay. But he said that is the fun part of the game. He acknowledged that life can be harsh for a sportsman. Players are constantly thinking about their game.
He is happy to go through the grind. He said if you want to make it big, you cannot make excuses. He said players should focus on getting better instead of worrying about things they cannot control.
He spoke about his dismissal in the match. He was caught behind for 4. He admitted the shot was involuntary. He knew he should have left the ball. He said sometimes when you think about something you do not want to do, you end up doing it. He was attracting those thoughts and it happened.
Kishan has played 32 ODIs and 55 T20Is for India. He has also played 134 IPL matches. His last Test appearance was in July 2023. But he still enjoys red-ball cricket. He said he loves the challenge. He finds Test cricket competition to be on a different level. He admitted that people might not believe him, but he is being honest.
East Zone scored 467 and enforced the follow-on. They bowled North East Zone out for 111 in the first innings. On the second day, their spinners got turn but no bounce. Anukul Roy took a five-wicket haul and they bowled them out for 146.
Kishan was happy with the wickets. He said if the opposition batters had stayed in, they could have controlled the game. But he believed in his bowlers and their plans. He said if you bowl in the right areas and keep it simple, you get your reward.
He admitted that the team’s energy was not up to the mark. He said it can happen in such matches. He hopes to improve in their semifinal game against Central Zone. He wants the team to be on their toes and fight for every wicket. He added that cricket is both simple and complicated.
Ishan Kishan’s Test Comeback Challenge: No Easy Spot in India’s XI
Ishan Kishan is a talented cricketer who has made a strong comeback in white-ball cricket. He recently led East Zone to a big win in the Duleep Trophy. But his path back to India’s Test team is not easy. The top order is packed with players who are performing well. Rishabh Pant is the first-choice wicketkeeper. Dhruv Jurel has also made a strong case for himself with a century in Sri Lanka. KL Rahul remains an option as well.
Kishan has played only two Tests since his debut in 2023. Both were against the West Indies. For the South Africa series later that year, India chose KL Rahul as their wicketkeeper instead of him. Since then, he has not got another chance in red-ball cricket. He has been busy with white-ball commitments. His last first-class match before the Duleep Trophy was nine months ago. He scored only 4 runs in the quarter-final. That showed the difficulty of switching between formats.
Kishan has said he loves red-ball cricket. He enjoys the challenge of facing a moving ball and aggressive bowlers. He is willing to work hard to earn a place. He has made changes to his technique with his childhood coach. He is playing shots later and keeping the ball closer to his body. He has also worked on his mental fitness through yoga and concentration therapy. These changes helped him perform well in domestic cricket.
But the competition is tough. Yashasvi Jaiswal is also struggling for consistent white-ball game time. Former selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth said Kishan has the skills for Test cricket but there is no slot for him right now. He said the selection committee needs to give more chances to domestic performers. But for now, Kishan’s path is blocked by players who are performing at a world-class level. He will need a combination of strong domestic performances and some luck to get back into the Test squad.
FAQs
Q. Has Ishan Kishan played Test cricket for India?
A. Yes. Kishan has played two Tests for India.
Q. When did Kishan last play a Test?
A. His last Test appearance came in July 2023.
Q. What did Kishan say about red-ball cricket?
A. Kishan said he loves the challenge of Test cricket.
Q. How many ODIs has Kishan played for India?
A. Kishan has played 32 ODIs for India.
Q. How many T20Is has Kishan played for India?
A. Kishan has played 55 T20Is for India.
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