"Fashion Me Lag Gaya": Ex-Pakistan Star On Kishan's Absence From Team India

Gautam Gambhir's reign as head coach of Indian cricket team has been off to a brilliant start with the Suryakumar Yadav-led side taking an unassailable 2-0 in a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Both teams will square off in the series finale on Tuesday, ahead of a three-match ODI rubber, starting August 2. India will be boosted by the presence of their big stars, including captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who both announced their T20I retirements last month. The ODI series, however, will also mark the return for star batter Shreyas Iyer into the Indian team set up.

Iyer will be back in Indian colours after being dropped from England Test squad earlier this year, before also being left out of his central contract by the BCCI.

However, there was no place in the team for wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who like Iyer was also left out his central contract.

Speaking on Kishan's lengthy absence from the team, former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has put the blame on the player, saying that he got into fashion and got a bit distracted.

"Ishan Kishan has fallen down the pecking order. Woh bhi thoda sa fashion mein lag gaya tha (He too got into fashion a bit)," Basit said on his YouTube channel.

Kishan last played for India during the third T20I of a five-match series against Australia in November last year. 

He was then named in the subsequent tour of South Africa, but opted out of the Test series due to personal reasons. 

After taking a short break, Kishan also decided to skip Ranji Trophy matches, which led to the BCCI removing him from the central contracts list.

If sources are to be believed, Kishan will only be back in reckoning after a full season of domestic cricket, and playing IPL to IPL is harming his cause. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Sanju Samson are the first three designated keepers in two white-ball formats.

(With PTI Inputs)