Cricket

Ishan Kishan back in Test discussions ahead of New Zealand tour

October 5, 2026

Ishan Kishan has thrust himself back into red-ball contention following a stellar Duleep Trophy run where he captained East Zone and compiled a massive double century of 270 runs from 334 balls in the final. Finishing as the competition's top run-getter with 409 total runs, the wicketkeeper-batter has caught the attention of the selection panel headed by interim chief selector Pragyan Ojha.

However, overlapping schedules between white-ball fixtures and upcoming India A games in New Zealand could alter his path, potentially opening wicketkeeping doors for Dhruv Jurel and Kumar Kushagra instead.

Meanwhile, the selection committee is carefully plotting workloads and preparation for several other key red-ball regulars ahead of the New Zealand tour. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, and Sai Sudharsan are all slated for valuable multi-day exposure in India A fixtures, while management weighs a similar tune-up for fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

Additional players like Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep are also drawing strong consideration following domestic success, as selectors prepare to finalize their upcoming multi-format squads.