"Most Underrated Batsman in the World" – Suresh Raina Drops Massive Statement on Jharkhand Cricketer

Former cricketer Suresh Raina recently added a new point to the ongoing discussion about India’s talented wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan. He also showed support for him in India’s T20I squad, despite Kishan’s omission from the 2025 Asia Cup team. Speaking on a YouTube podcast, Raina praised Kishan’s class and temperament. He also said that Kishan is the most underrated batsman in the world.

The left-hand batter has not played for the national team for many years. Ishan Kishan will not feature in East Zone’s opening match of the 2025 Duleep Trophy, as he is recovering from a minor injury in the UK. The incident happened during his time with Nottinghamshire, where he reportedly suffered cuts and needed stitches after falling off an e-bike.

Although the injury is not serious, he has been kept out as a precaution, considering his potential selection for the India A squad next month. This is also the reason why he will miss the Asia Cup squad.

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Raina Calls Ishan Kishan the Most Underrated Player

Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube podcast, Suresh Raina named fellow left-hander Ishan Kishan as the most underrated player. He said that Kishan can play many strong shots and has done well in his career so far.

“(Most underrated batsman) – Ishan Kishan. He is a very strong player. He has done really well. When he performs, he hits powerful shots,” Raina said. Notably, Ishan Kishan made a century on his SRH debut in IPL 2025. He scored an unbeaten 106 off 47 balls, which helped the 2016 champions reach 286/6 in 20 overs.

Replacement Named: Aashirwad Swain Steps In

In Kishan’s absence, Odisha’s Aashirwad Swain has been added to the East Zone squad. Jharkhand’s Kumar Kushagra is expected to keep wickets as the first-choice when East Zone takes on North Zone, led by Shubman Gill, in the quarterfinal starting August 28 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), Bengaluru.

Why Kishan Missed the England Test Call-Up?

Kishan’s injury also affected his national team chances. He was not considered as a replacement for Rishabh Pant in the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval due to his recovery. Instead, Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan was sent as the back-up keeper to Dhruv Jurel. The Jharkhand-based batter is expected to undergo fitness tests at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. For Kishan, the main focus is full recovery before a possible call-up to the India A squad, which will host Australia A in two four-day matches next month.