Kishan Follows Pant's Lead, Bowls Off-Spin For Jharkhand - Video Is Viral

In a rare sight, Jharkhand captain and star wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan was seeling rolling his arms during a Buchi Babu invitational tournament match against Hyderabad in Chennai. In a viral video, Kishan was seen bowling with Jharkhand already on the backfoot after a poor showing with the bat in the first innings. However, Kishan kept the flow of runs in check, conceding just five from his two overs. He went round the wicket and bowled some off-spin to southpaw T Ravi Teja. This came days after Rishabh Pant also tried out his hand in bowling during the Delhi Premier League (DPL).

The Bowler Ishan Kishan in the town you all @ishankishan51 #IshanKishan #BuchiBabuTournament pic.twitter.com/AvgkAfDibE — Ishan's(@IshanWK32) August 22, 2024

For the unversed, Kishan has never bowled for the Indian team or in the Indian Premier League. However, he has bowled five overs in First Class cricket, but failed to take a wicket.

Meanwhile, Kishan dazzled on his return to red ball cricket, helping Jharkhand beat Madhya Pradesh in the Buchi Babu tournament earlier this week.

After scoring a 107-ball 114 in the first innings, Kishan remained unbeaten on 41 in the second, helping Jharkhand meat Madhya Pradesh by two wickets. 

Jharkhand needed 12 runs to win with two wickets remainining, and Kishan took the onus to guide his team to a win, smashing two sixes off Akash Rajawat in the 55th over of Jharkhand's second innings.

Earlier in the first innings, Kishan smashed an 86-ball century on his way to a 107-ball 114.

Kishan, who was not part of Jharkhand's original long list, took the decision to participate, and he was drafted in when he communicated this to the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), according to an ESPNcricinfo report.

The report further stated that Kishan's return to the Ranji Trophy fold is also expected during the 2024-25 season, after he informed the state selectors of his desire to return.

His last domestic first-class game was in December 2022. He stayed away from the Ranji Trophy towards the end of the 2023-24 domestic season, and this proved costly for him, as he was removed from the central contract list for not prioritising domestic cricket.

(With IANS Inputs)