Ajay Jadeja wonders why the team management decided to rest Ishan Kishan for the final two T20Is against Australia.
Kishan scored 110 runs in the first three games against Australia and the decision to rest him prompted questions about the rationale behind citing fatigue after just three matches.
'There was a series right after the World Cup. Ishan Kishan played three matches and went home. Was he really that tired after three matches that he needed rest?' asked Jadeja, who was mentor for the Afghanistan cricket team during World Cup 2023.
'He didn't even play a lot of games at the World Cup. He deserved his spot in the playing XI for the first few World Cup matches. How many Indian players have scored a double century on a good day?'
Jadeja was referring to Kishan's record-breaking display in December 2022 in an ODI against Bangladesh where he scored an impressive 210 runs off 131 balls.
'He can change the game on his day. When will he get ready? Will you keep him on trial all the time? In the last two years, how many games has he played? This problem of Indian cricket is not of today, it is very old that we don't select (players) but reject them,' Jadeja told Sports Tak.
Kishan has been included in the T20I and Tests squad for India's tour of South Africa, but Jadeja raised concerns about the consistency in Kishan's selection and his readiness to face future challenges.
'Ishan Kishan didn't even play the entire five-match T20I series against Australia. He was sent home after three matches to rest. So, if this is going to continue, how will you ensure that he is fully ready?'
