Ishan Kishan makes First-Class comeback with Duleep Trophy hundred for India C vs India B

Wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan made his First-Class comeback with a quickfire hundred for India C in the Duleep Trophy second round against India B on Thursday.

Playing as a specialist No. 4 batter in his return to the domestic grind, Kishan walked in after India C lost two successive wickets before leading a counter alongside Baba Indrajith. India C were in trouble after skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad retired hurt second ball of the match after an ankle injury before Sai Sudharsan and Rajat Patidar were dismissed in the space of four deliveries after a 92-run stand.

Kishan feasted on a steady supply of fours and sixes and got to his half-century in 48 balls after lunch. He upped the ante soon after with Indrajith holding fort at the other end.

Kishan eventually got to his seventh First-Class hundred off 120 balls post Tea, laced with 14 fours and 2 sixes. Incidentally, Kishan’s knock is also the maiden First-Class hundred at the Anantapur Cricket Ground’s ‘B’ venue, hosting its inaugural First-Class match.

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The innings was Kishan’s first First-Class match since turning up for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy in December 2022 with his previous FC century coming against Kerala in Ranchi. Kishan later played two Tests for India in West Indies in mid-2023 before being dropped from the XI.

Last month, Kishan got his preparatory leg for the season off to a bang with Jharkhand in the Buchi Babu Trophy, scoring a ballistic 114 off 107 balls against Madhya Pradesh in Tirunelveli.

In February 2024, Kishan and Shreyas Iyer were snubbed from the BCCI central contracts after the duo were deemed to have skipped domestic red-ball matches. Kishan returned to competitive cricket with the Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season, scoring 320 runs in 14 games with a solitary half-century.

“I was scoring runs and then I found myself on the bench. These things do happen in a team sport. But I experienced travel fatigue. It meant there was something wrong, I was not feeling well or right and so I decided to take a break. However, sadly, barring my family and few close people no one understood that,” Kishan told The Indian Express in an exclusive interview as he explained his decision to take a break from the national set-up.

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