Making a surprise return to the cricket field, Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan smashed a hundred on his red-ball comeback in the Duleep Trophy. Scoring 111 runs off 126 balls for India C, Ishan made headlines with his exceptional strokeplay and intent. Though the wicket-keeper batter isn’t a part of Team India’s squad for the first Test against Bangladesh, his knock would’ve caught the selectors’ attention. Ishan’s knock immediately triggered chatter around his return to the Indian national team, and the cricketer’s social media post intensified that.

Ishan last featured for India during the tour of South Africa last year. Since his withdrawal from the series over mental fatigue, Ishan hasn’t featured in a single match for India. His absence from Jharkhand’s Ranji Trophy campaign dented his comeback plans further, though the wicket-keeper batter did play for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign.

Ishan finally made his comeback to red-ball cricket with the Duleep Trophy match against India B. He was dominant while hitting his seventh first-class century laced with 14 fours and three sixes while sharing a 189-run stand for the third wicket with Baba Indrajith, who made 78 off 136 balls, also his second half-century in three innings.

Taking to Instagram, Ishan shared pictures of him batting for India C in the Duleep Trophy match against India B. He captioned the post: “Unfinished Business”, hinting that this is only the start of his red-ball comeback.

Kishan was a late inclusion into the India C side, as he linked up with them on the eve of the game. He previously missed first-round game for India D due to a groin injury which needed rehabilitation in Bengaluru, with Sanju Samson named as his replacement at that time.

The India B vs India C match, however, couldn’t produce a result and ended in a draw.