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'Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Bumrah Also Deal With Fatigue' - PAK Cricketer Slams Ishan Kishan 

image-lrdcyheqIshan Kishan [X.com]

Even as Ishan Kishan continues to garner support for prioritising his mental health and opting for a break from cricketing duties, the Jharkhand and India wicketkeeper-batter was criticised by his Pakistani counterpart Kamran Akmal. 

The former player slammed the earnest young player for taking a leave from international and domestic playing duties and referred to Indian greats Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma to suggest the player should've continued focusing on his game. 


Kishan has been missing the game since opting out of the Test series against South Africa in December-January due to "personal reasons". Reports suggested at the time that the cricketer had asked for a break to overcome mental fatigue faced as a constant traveller with the squad without enough game time. 

Kamran Akmal Gives Ishan Kishan Flak 

Then his absence from the Afghanistan T20I series created more noise with questions thrown the Indian team management's way, whether it's a case of "indiscipline" acting as a barrier to his selection? While the player returned to training, India head coach Rahul Dravid said Kishan was "unavailable". 

Kishan has garnered sympathy of the Indian fans but Akmal feels the youngster has taken the wrong decision. The former Pakistan cricketer asked how can Kishan go down with mental health issues at the age of 25 and speculated if he is reserving his energies for the IPL 2024 for Mumbai Indians (MI). 

"There has been talk about Ishan Kishan being released from the Test squad in South Africa to deal with mental fatigue. At this early stage of your career, what mental fatigue can you have?," Akmal said on his YouTube channel. 


"In this team, there are the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, who also deal with fatigue. They play the IPL, international matches, including Test matches. Have never heard of players taking a break due to this reason."


"You are saving yourself for two months of IPL. Playing in the Indian team is a big thing and this excuse is beyond my understanding. I think the selection committee has done a good job by keeping Ishan Kishan away from this team. Let him rest for now and then playing domestic cricket."


"This should be a message to players that they cannot ask for rest whenever they want due to mental fatigue. This is national duty, you cannot ask for rest just like that,” he added. 

It does appear increasingly likely that Kishan's next piece of action will come during IPL 2024 for MI after he was also missing from India's Test squad for the first two matches of the England series, starting January 25 in Hyderabad.