Revealed: Why is Ishan Kishan Not Playing Today in ENG vs IND 1st ODI?

The preparations of the Indian Cricket Team has official begun for the ICC World Cup 2027 with the England vs India ODI series 2026. The management has been looking for all possible combinations and permutations that would be best for the team in South Africa. The IND vs AFG ODI series saw several combinations tested across various departments, from batting positions to backup bowlers.

As India is playing the 1st ODI against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, the team is looking forward to going with their core team and one player who did well in the Afghanistan series, Ishan Kishan, is missing out from the Playing 11 of the 1st ODI. Let's find out the reason behind his absence and who the Ishan Kishan replacement is in the ENG vs IND 1st ODI.

Why is Ishan Kishan Not Playing Today Against ENG in 1st ODI?

Ishan Kishan, one of the best wicket-keepers in India, is missing from the Playing 11 of today's game against England because he has been selected as a backup wicket-keeper for KL Rahul, who is replacing Ishan Kishan from the last ODI. However, there is no other specific reason for Ishan Kishan not playing, as it is just about going with the core players in the 1st ODI, and KL Rahul has been selected as a first-choice wicket-keeper batter in the Indian ODI team. The management can get Ishan Kishan back in the 3rd ODI if they are leading the series and want to try some new combinations as well as a new batting position for Pocket Dynamo.

Ishan Kishan's Performance in Last ODI Series

The last ODI series played by Ishan Kishan was against Afghanistan in India, where Kishan had a terrific performance. He was part of all three matches of the ODI series, where he scored 159 runs in 2 innings and didn't get a chance to bat in the 3rd match. In the first match, he scored 34 runs off 22 balls at No.3, while in the next match, he came at No.4 and played an explosive innings of 125 runs off 79 balls (including 14 fours and 7 sixes). Ishan Kishan showed intent and character on the field during the last ODI series, which has almost cemented his place in the Indian ODI squad as a backup wicketkeeper who could also play as a specialist batter.