Ishan Kishan is gearing up for a major comeback, and this time, it is not with the India National Cricket Team but as the leader of his state side. Ishan Kishan has been out of the Indian team for nearly two years, but he has now got the chance to make a comeback to the big stage.
The young wicketkeeper-batter has been handed the captaincy of Jharkhand for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2025–26 season.
Ishan Kishan gears up for Ranji redemption
The announcement by the Jharkhand State Cricket Association’s (JSCA) selection committee on September 27 has set the stage for Kishan to prove himself once again.
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Kishan’s journey over the past few months has been full of setbacks. After a promising stint in the IPL 2025 season, he failed to maintain his form and then travelled to England in June to play two matches for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship.
The left-handed batter impressed with two solid half-centuries for Nottinghamshire, but he suffered an untimely injury. That injury not only kept him out of India’s plans for the England tour but also forced him to miss the Duleep Trophy, where he had been named the East Zone captain.
Ishan Kishan returns as Jharkhand captain for Ranji Trophy 2025–26
Now, Ishan is fully recovered and eager to return to action, as he will lead the Jharkhand team in the upcoming Ranji Trophy. He will also be Jharkhand’s primary wicketkeeper, while Virat Singh will be Ishan’s deputy in India’s premier red-ball tournament.
The 16-member squad features promising talents like spin all-rounder Anukul Roy and wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, and Aryaman Singh. Jharkhand will kick off their Ranji Trophy campaign on October 15 against a formidable Tamil Nadu side in the group stage.
This match will mark Kishan’s return to competitive cricket after a break of nearly three and a half months. For Kishan, the upcoming Ranji season is more than just another tournament, as it is his biggest chance to remind the selectors of his skills and leadership to reclaim his India spot.
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Jharkhand squad for Ranji Trophy:
Ishan Kishan (C), Virat Singh (VC), Sharandeep Singh, Shikhar Mohan, Kumar Kushagra, Kumar Suraj, Usak Roy, Manishi, Vikas Kumar, Jatin Kumar Pandey, Vikas Singh, Aditya Singh, Sahil Raj, Shubham Singh, Aryaman Singh, and Rishav Raj.
Ishan Kishan’s career in numbers
Meanwhile, Kishan last played for India in 2023. He was part of India’s squad for the Test series against South Africa, but he opted out, citing mental health concerns in a letter to the BCCI. Kishan has scored 78 runs in 2 Test matches for India so far.
In One-Day Internationals, the Indian wicketkeeper has amassed 933 runs in 27 matches at an impressive average of 42.40, which includes one century and seven half-centuries. In T20 Internationals, Ishan has amassed 796 runs with the help of 6 fifties in 32 games.
At the domestic level, Kishan has scored 3,611 runs in 60 first-class matches at an average of 38.82. He has amassed 3,798 runs in 111 List-A matches, while he has amassed 5,270 runs across 202 T20 matches.