Ishan Kishan's First Statement After Cancelation Of BCCI Central Contract

One of India's top wicket-keeper batters, Ishan Kishan, has faced a challenging period over the past six months. He lost his spot in the Indian team across all formats and was excluded from the BCCI central contract. Ishan took a break from India's tour of South Africa last December due to mental fatigue and hasn't returned since.

Despite playing for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024, Ishan wasn't selected for the recent Zimbabwe tour. In an interview with the Indian Express, he discussed his absence from the national team and his exclusion from the central contract. When asked about these setbacks, Ishan said, "I don't want to be sad about anything. I'll keep giving my best."

Ishan Kishan's Mental Fatigue

Ishan revealed that the last few months were tough and made him question why such things were happening to him. He admitted, "It was depressing. Today I don't want to say that everything was fine. It was not easy for me at all. You go through a lot. Mere dimag mey ye sab chalta raha ki yaar kya hoga gaya, kyu ho gaya, mere saath kyu (Questions like what happened, why me). All these things happened when I was performing."

When asked about his break, Ishan explained it was mainly due to travel fatigue and not feeling well mentally. He noted that only his family and a few close friends understood his decision. "I was scoring runs and then I found myself on the bench. These things do happen in a team sport," he said.

Challenges of Domestic Cricket

Ishan also mentioned that taking a break from international cricket but continuing to play domestic matches didn't make sense to him. "I took a break and I think it was normal. There is a rule that if you want to make a comeback you must perform in domestic cricket," he stated.

He further elaborated, "Now, it was very different for me to play domestic cricket as it was not making any sense. I was not in a frame of mind to play and that is why I took a break from international cricket."

Ishan's journey highlights the mental challenges athletes face and the importance of understanding their decisions regarding breaks and performance.