India tour of New Zealand: Red-hot Shikhar Mohan earns India A call-up; set to replace KL Rahul for two fixtures

NEW DELHI: Jharkhand opener Shikhar Mohan has received a maiden India A call-up for the last two four-day matches against New Zealand. The 21-year-old will replace KL Rahul, who will join the ODI squad after playing the first four-day match against New Zealand A, starting on Saturday at Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University.The southpaw has continued his red-hot form with back-to-back hundreds in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. Shikhar smashed 143 against Kerala in Jamshedpur and then scored a match-saving 127 against Maharashtra in Pune.Shikhar's mentor, Ishank Jaggi, a former Jharkhand cricketer, has heaped praise on the youngster, saying the time is absolutely ripe for him to take the next step."It is perfect timing. He is in good form. Scored two centuries in Ranji. Had a great Duleep Trophy final and Irani Trophy as well," Jaggi told TimesofIndia.com.After an excellent debut season in 2025-26, in which he amassed 613 runs at an average of 55.73, including two centuries, he has started the new season in rollicking fashion, smashing 143 in Jharkhand's opening match against Kerala at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur.The southpaw also made some valuable contributions in the Duleep Trophy final for East Zone, scoring 85 and 52 in the two innings, followed by a solid 60 on a green top in Srinagar in the Irani Trophy, playing for Rest of India against defending Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir.Jaggi, who is currently coaching the Jharkhand U-23 side, says Shikhar Mohan has been in top form for the past four to five years."Look, he has been in good form for the last four to five years. He has dominated age-group cricket as well. I feel this is a great time for him to have this experience. It will be great exposure for him. He will realise what he needs to add to his game and will come back as a better cricketer," says Jaggi, who has played 90 First Class matches.Jaggi is correct about the southpaw's rich vein of form. Shikhar Mohan enjoyed significant success with the Under-23 side in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy. In the 2023-24 season, he scored 623 runs, including two hundreds and three fifties. He continued his run-scoring spree the following season, scoring 887 runs, which helped him earn a call-up to the senior side.One issue with Shikhar's batting, which the youngster himself has admitted to, is his inability to convert starts into big scores, something he is working on with Jaggi."In my first year of Under-19 cricket, I scored around 550 runs, with most of my scores in the 70s and 80s. The following year, I wanted to focus more and convert those starts into bigger scores," he had told this website."Before facing a ball, I talk to myself. I remind myself to watch the ball and stay focused. That has helped me a lot. Jaggi bhai also helped me with this, especially when he was with the Under-19 team. I started concentrating more and focusing on one ball at a time. That approach has really helped me," he added.Ishank, however, feels the mental block is something even the game's greats have faced."Everyone has gone through that phase. But you have to understand that he is scoring those 70s and 80s consistently, which is no small achievement. He is still raw and can be groomed, and that's why I said this call has come at the right time," he said.Shikhar will travel to New Zealand on October 26 and will link up with the India A squad in Christchurch, where the second four-day game will be played from October 31.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.