Just days after tasting one of the biggest wins of his career, Ishan Kishan found himself in a very different kind of moment, clutching his back in pain during a nets session.
The wicketkeeper-batter, who had led East Zone to their first Duleep Trophy title in 13 years, sustained a back sprain while training ahead of India’s upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, set to begin Sunday in New Delhi. The injury occurred when the 28-year-old tried to sway away from a sharp short-pitched delivery bowled by India pacer Navdeep Saini. Visibly in discomfort, Ishan Kishan was immediately attended to by outgoing team physio Kamlesh Jain and later walked off the field without returning to bat.
Navdeep Saini later spoke about the incident, sharing that the two of them know each other well from playing together for a long time, which is why he chose to target Ishan Kishan with a short ball, knowing it was an area he could exploit. Navdeep Saini added that he checked in with Ishan afterward and Ishan told him he was doing fine so there wasn’t much cause for concern, as quoted by a leading publication.
That said, the true extent of the issue will only become clear once Ishan Kishan has had proper time to rest and recover.
The timing is unfortunate, given how well Ishan Kishan has been performing lately. He was in outstanding form heading into the series, having scored more than 300 runs in the Duleep Trophy final alone, smashing 270 in the first innings and following it up with 80 in the second, against South Zone, with his team eventually declared winners based on a massive first-innings lead.
This purple patch is part of a larger resurgence for Ishan Kishan, who has been in excellent form since making his international comeback earlier this year, taking over as India’s T20I opener in place of Sanju Samson. He played a crucial role in India’s historic T20 World Cup win, finishing as the team’s second highest run-scorer behind Sanju Samson. He is also part of India’s squad for the 2026 Asian Games.
Get well soon, Ishan Kishan!
