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Xtra Time Web Desk: Team India's wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan is set to captain Jharkhand in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season. Kishan, who missed the entire previous season, last led the team in the 2018-19 season. This year, Virat Singh, who captained the side last season, has been appointed vice-captain.

Recently, Kishan participated in the Irani Cup for Rest of India, where he scored 38 runs but did not keep wickets, with Dhruv Jurel stepping in behind the stumps. In the upcoming Ranji Trophy, Kishan is expected to play solely as a batter, while Kumar Kushagra will handle wicketkeeping duties.

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Prior to this, Kishan made his return to first-class cricket in the Duleep Trophy 2024, playing for India C and impressively scoring a century against India B. He also registered another century in the Buchi Babu Memorial tournament.

In his first-class career, Kishan has amassed 3,235 runs at an average of 38.97, including seven centuries and 17 fifties. The Patna-born cricketer has played two Tests for India, scoring 78 runs with one half-century. After losing his BCCI central contract earlier this year, Kishan is eager to showcase his talent in the Ranji Trophy and make a case for his return to the national team.

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Jharkhand selection committee chairman Subroto Das expressed confidence in Kishan’s leadership abilities, especially with a young team. "Ishan is an experienced player with international exposure. We have picked a very young squad. With the retirements of Saurabh Tiwary, Shahbaz Nadeem, and Varun Aaron after last season, we had to rethink our strategy. Ishan is capable of leading this young side, and we're confident of performing well this Ranji season,” Das stated.

Jharkhand squad for Ranji Trophy (first two matches)

Ishan Kishan (capt), Virat Singh (vice-capt), Kumar Kushagra (wk), Nazim Siddique, Aryaman Sen, Sharandeep Singh, Kumar Suraj, Anukul Roy, Utkarsh Singh, Supriyo Chakraborty, Saurabh Shekhar, Vikas Kumar, Vivekanand Tiwary, Manishi, Ravi Kumar Yadav, Raunak Kumar