Young India all-rounder Sai Kishore gave a challenge to the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee ahead of India’s red-ball season. The Duleep Trophy is all set to begin on September 5 in Andhra Pradesh and Bengaluru. The tournament will mark the beginning of India’s red-ball cricket in the domestic season and will feature some tier-A players and emerging talent from the nation. The tournament will play a key role in the selection of the Indian Test team for the Test series against Bangladesh.
However, before the tournament, Kishore gave an open challenge to the Agarkar-led committee and said that he is ready for playing Tests. The Tamil Nadu-based all-rounder, who plays for Gujarat Titans, grabbed everyone’s attention with his match-winning spell in the latest season of the IPL. However, while he was enjoying success, he picked up a neck injury, which resulted in him leaving the tournament midway.
Kishore was quoted by the New Indian Express as saying, “I feel I am one of the best spinners in the country. Put me in a Test match, I am ready. So, I am not worried too much. Jadeja is there, I have never played alongside him. I have been with him in CSK, but never played together in red-ball format. So, it will be a good learning experience in terms of what he does. In saying that, I feel confident. So, I am ready more than ever.”
Talking about his comeback, he said, “I was very grateful to be back. Honestly, to get back to normal life only was an achievement, cricket was a bonus. When I came in, I knew I couldn’t do it (bowl as much). I accepted that but I wanted to take the challenge. Mind was there, but the body was not fully there. So I had to make others do the job.”