3 players who can replace out-of-form Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan was instrumental in helping India lift the T20 World Cup earlier this year. He also exhibited red-hot form during the subsequent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. However, the tour of the United Kingdom hasn’t been memorable for him.

In the two matches against Ireland, Kishan managed scores of 1 and 12. Things went from bad to worse for the wicketkeeper-batter upon arriving in England. He started with a duck in the first T20I against the Three Lions before registering scores of 49, 13, and 4. Even the 49 that he scored in the second T20I was a scratchy knock and the runs came in 40 balls at a modest strike rate of 122.50.

India have been making frequent changes in the T20 setup and Kishan could be next in line if his performances don’t get better in the coming games. Here are three players who can replace him if and when the management decides to give him a break.

3 players who can replace out-of-form Ishan Kishan

3. Prabhsimran Singh

Prabhsimran Singh can replace Ishan Kishan at No. 3, and no other adjustments will be needed. While the wicketkeeper-batter likes to open, he can also play at No. 3. Prabhsimran has been picked in India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.

The 25-year-old has aggregated more than 500 runs in each of the last two seasons of the IPL. This year, he amassed 510 runs in 14 matches at an average of 42.50 and a strike rate of 168.87. He will look to carry that form into the Zimbabwe tour.

2. Dhruv Jurel

Dhruv Jurel batted brilliant during IPL 2026 at No. 3. He can be a like-for-like replacement for Kishan going forward. The good thing about Jurel is that he isn’t one-dimensional. He has already shown in Test cricket that he can grind it out with his proper technique.

Jurel scored 515 runs in 16 matches during IPL 2026 at an average of 36.79 and a strike rate of 154.65. The next T20 World Cup will be played in Australia and New Zealand, where the pitches will be hard and batters who play well on the back foot can find success. Jurel is one such player who can ride the bounce and score a lot of runs.

1. Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson went from the extreme highs to the demoralising lows this season in T20I cricket. In March, he was awarded Player of the Tournament after helping India clinch their third T20 World Cup title. He had a decent IPL campaign, scoring 477 runs in 14 matches at an average of 43.36 and a strike rate of 165.63.

However, after registering three single-digit scores on the tour of the United Kingdom, Samson was dropped from the side and replaced by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Samson has also been left out of the Zimbabwe tour. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that the door isn’t closed for him. The 31-year-old could make a comeback in a subsequent series and bat at No. 3, something he has done at the international level and also in the IPL in the past.