There has been a lot of talk after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) excluded Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from its list of centrally contracted players.
Earlier, in a stern warning, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had cautioned centrally-contracted Indian players against prioritizing the Indian Premier League (IPL) over domestic cricket.
The admonition came amidst notable players like Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, and Deepak Chahar showing reluctance to participate in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, which sparked concerns about their commitment to domestic cricket.
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According to The Indian Express, the decision to drop Iyer and Kishan, both integral to the Indian team across formats in 2023, was made by the secretary following selectors' recommendations.
The timing of their omission is significant with the T20 World Cup approaching in three months. Their chances for selection seem bleak, potentially impacting their national team prospects
While both are expected to play in the IPL, national team consideration now depends on regular participation in domestic cricket. Hence, even a successful IPL stint might not open the doors for national team return. If they fulfill the pro-rata criteria (minimum of 3 Tests or 8 ODIs or 10 T20Is) later in the contract cycle, they may only receive match fees instead of a contract.
“Ishan was granted a break that he sought. But he hasn’t reported to the NCA or the state unit, but continues to train alone. Under the circumstances, there was no chance for the BCCI to offer a central contract. Similarly with Shreyas, we went by the medical reports. The door is still open for them provided they play domestic cricket regularly,” a source was quoted by The Indian Express.
Iyer, who was dropped from the Indian Test squad for the ongoing Test series agianst England, missed the quarter-final in the Ranji Trophy, which was to be played against Baroda.
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The right-hand batter, though, will play for the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team after being named in their squad for the semi-final.
Kishan, on the other hand, has been on an extended leave of absence after first withdrawing from the Test team in South Africa in December. He will feature for the Reserve Bank of India in the DY Patil T20 Cup 2024, where his IPL captain Hardik Pandya is also playing.
The future of both players hangs in the balance as they navigate the challenges of meeting BCCI's criteria and maintaining their form and fitness in domestic cricket.
For Iyer and Kishan, the road back to national team contention now passes through the fields of domestic cricket, where their performances will determine their fate.
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