Ishan Kishan returns as Jharkhand captain after controversial pullout

India batter Ishan Kishan on Wednesday returned to the Jharkhand Ranji team as its captain, following his controversial pullout last season that led to his exclusion from the BCCI central contract.

The explosive left-hander, who became a regular in India's white-ball squad after Rishabh Pant's road accident in December 2022, took a break during India's tour of South Africa last year.

Post break, he did not participate in any official BCCI matches, which raised a few eyebrows as the board stressed on players prioritising domestic cricket when not on national duty.

The 26-year-old resurfaced this February, playing in the privately organised DY Patil T20 Cup ahead of the IPL and sparking a debate over balance between franchise cricket and state commitments.

His absence from domestic cricket during this period contributed to his omission from the BCCI's 2023-24 central contracts.

However, Kishan has since worked his way back into the BCCI's good books with strong performances in domes