Rahul Dravid’s T20 World Cup Dilemma: Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant in the Spotlight

Ishan Kishan’s future prospects have taken a positive turn following India’s 3-0 victory against Afghanistan in their recent T20I series, ahead of the T20 World Cup scheduled for June in the USA and West Indies. Despite facing setbacks, including his absence from the Afghanistan series and speculations about disciplinary actions, India’s head coach Rahul Dravid emphasized that Kishan remains in contention for the upcoming global event.

Kishan, initially a regular member across all formats, found himself out of the Indian squad after opting to leave the team during the South Africa tour, citing mental fatigue. Amid rumors of disciplinary measures, Dravid clarified that Kishan was not considered for selection for the Afghanistan series. However, he hinted that the young wicketkeeper-batsman would need to play first-class cricket before being considered for the England series.

During this period, Kishan was spotted training with Hardik Pandya, indicating his mental readiness for cricket. While he did not participate in Jharkhand’s matches, he was not included in India’s squad for the first two Tests against England, despite having three designated keepers – KL Rahul, KS Bharat, and Dhruv Jurel.

In a surprising turn of events, Dravid provided a glimmer of hope for Kishan’s inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad, alongside players like KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. Dravid highlighted that India has several keeping options, including Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma. He stressed the need to assess the situation in the coming months before finalizing the squad.

Considering the playing positions of Kishan, Rahul, and Pant, who predominantly bat at the top order, Dravid acknowledged the competition for those slots with Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill. Dravid emphasized the requirement for a player batting below No.5, capable of scoring quickly, making Jitesh Sharma a potential candidate based on his performances in the Afghanistan T20Is. The article suggests that if Jitesh performs well in the upcoming IPL with Punjab Kings (PBKS), he could become the preferred choice for the crucial role in the T20 World Cup squad.

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