Three players from Team India who were originally selected for the impending two-match Test series against South Africa, which is scheduled to begin in Centurion on December 26, will not be available. Veteran pacer Mohammad Shami was unable to travel to South Africa because of an ankle issue, while top-order batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad is out of the series due to a finger injury. Ishan Kishan, the wicketkeeper-batter, on the other hand, withdrew his name from the Test series for "personal reasons".
Although the BCCI did not specify the precise cause in their official statement, The Indian Express reported that Ishan's retirement was primarily due to "mental fatigue" from frequent travel and insufficient game time. The news also stated that after a year of nonstop travel, the southpaw had asked the Indian team management last week for a vacation from cricket. Before approving his request, the team administration conferred with selectors over the subject.
Since January 3, 2023, Ishan Kishan has been traveling; nevertheless, this year, he hasn't had many regular opportunities to play for India. Ishan was a warm-up player for most of India's campaign in the recently concluded ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023. The left-hander participated in two Tests, seventeen One-Day Internationals, and eleven Twenty20 Internationals this season.