Ishan Kishan sustained a back injury on Friday [Source: AFP]Ishan Kishan gave a mini injury scare to the Indian team on Friday when the batter sustained a lower back niggle during the training session before the first T20I against Afghanistan in Delhi. Navdeep Saini was brought in as a net bowler, and during the practice session, he bowled a fierce bouncer to Kishan, who ducked awkwardly.This resulted in an injury, as Kishan left the session midway and gave a scare to the Indian side as they prepare for the all-important T20Is against Afghanistan, starting on Sunday. The left-handed batter was kept under the observation of the team physio, Kamlesh Jain.Navdeep Saini gives update on Ishan Kishan's injury statusAfter the incident, Navdeep Saini gave an official update on Kishan’s injury status while talking to the media.“Me and Ishan have played together for quite a while. We know each other very well. I know his weaknesses, so I thought of exploiting it with a short ball. He couldn’t play it. I walked up to him later and asked him how he is doing. He said he is doing fine, so there is nothing to worry about,” Saini said.This comes as a massive relief for the Indian side, as Kishan has become a mainstay in T20Is, and he will play all three games against the Afghanistan side, barring an injury.Can Afghanistan take a leaf out of Navdeep Saini's book?Navdeep Saini might have shared a positive update on Ishan Kishan’s injury, but through his statement, he gave assistance to the Afghanistan on how to counter Kishan.Saini revealed that the Indian batter is not the best against short-pitch deliveries, and it was evident during the practice session as the ball almost hit him. The Afghan bowlers can take a leaf out of Saini’s book and can try to pepper Kishan with bouncers in the T20I series.Also Read: Ishan Kishan Confronts Vaibhav Sooryavanshi On DRS ClaimsIn 2022, Kishan was hit by a bouncer from Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Kumara, and he was taken to hospital for scans. Over the years, bowlers have tried this approach against the Indian star, and Afghanistan might look to do the same against him.Kishan, a key member of India for Afghanistan T20IsKishan has certainly rejuvenated his India career, and ever since the T20 World Cup, the southpaw has become an integral member of the Indian team.The southpaw has cemented himself as India’s permanent number 3 in T20Is, and India would ideally want him to continue delivering the goods against the Afghanistan side.At the T20 World Cup 2026, he finished as India’s second-highest run-getter (317 runs), with an astonishing strike rate of 193.92. He played some key knocks in the tournament, including a match-winning effort against Pakistan.In the last series against Zimbabwe, he finished with 145 runs and was the second-highest run-getter for the team.It wasn’t only in the T20Is where Kishan stood tall. He led from the front in the Duleep Trophy 2026 and helped the East Zone capture the championship. He ended the tournament with 409 runs, and it included 350 combined runs against South Zone in the finals.Also Read: Manav Suthar Breaks 131-Year-Old Record In England's County
