Ishan Kishan among other contracted players head to NCA for strength & conditioning ahead of West Indies tour

Ishan Kishan is among several centrally contracted players who will reach the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru next week for strength and conditioning-related work ahead of the start of the West Indies tour. Following the WTC Final at the Oval this month, India will travel to the Caribbean Islands for two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is, starting July 12. The Indian Team is likely to depart on July 3.

With India’s premier domestic tournament Duleep Trophy, set to get underway in Bengaluru on June 28, Ishan decided to opt out at the last minute.

Selected to play for East Zone, which was scheduled to take on Central Zone in the first quarter in Alur, Ishan had a chance to play at least one red-ball match ahead of the West Indies tour. With this, he would have pushed for a case for a place in the Test side with KS Bharat, who played ahead of him in the WTC Final.

Generally, in-between two international series, contracted or targeted players, who are not part of any ongoing domestic tournament, are sent to the NCA for an update on their fitness status.

Ishan to continue playing white-ball cricket

While the Indian board is yet to announce squads for the Tests, which begins with the first game in Dominica on July 12, both Ishan and Bharat will retain their places. Meanwhile, following a mediocre outing against Australia at the Oval, KS Bharat could lose his place to the high-flying Kishan in the Test team.

In a case where KS gets retained in the XI and Ishan gets to warm the benches, the left-handed batter is sure to start in the white-ball series that follows. Recent reports emerged that Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal are among the young uncapped batters who could get a chance in the five-match T20Is.

With regular captain Rohit Sharma expected to get some rest for ‘some part’ of the West Indies tour, Ishan Kishan will get his chance. 

Being one of the five Indians to score a double hundred in ODIs – against Bangladesh in 2022, Ishan is tipped to be the future of Indian Cricket. 

The BCCI will likely announce squads for the West Indies series on June 27.