BCCI's Stern 'Play Domestic Cricket' Message After Terminating Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer Contracts

29.02.2024 - 04:15 sports.ndtv.com

Star India cricketers Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer did not find a place in the Annual Player Contracts for Team India (Senior Men) for the 2023-24 season, which were announced on Wednesday by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Rumours were rampart over the duo being dropped from the contract list, which has now been finalised for the duration between October 1st, 2023 to September 30th, 2024. "Please note that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations," the BCCI said in a release on Wednesday.

Kishan had opted for a break midway through the tour of South Africa, before being dropped from the team for the T20Is against Afghanistan and the ongoing Test bilateral against England.

On Kishan's non-selection, India head coach Rahul Dravid had said that the player is yet to make himself for selection, adding that the wicketkeeper-batter will have to play domestic cricket to get back into the national team.

cricket India Cricket Team contracts Message Rahul Dravid Shreyas Iyer Ishan Kishan Star India South Africa India Afghanistan

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh backed the Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan duo after the players were axed from BCCI's central contracts. Both the stars failed to find a place in the player retention list announced by the country's apex cricket board at the end of February this year. Harbhajan said that the ouster is not the end of the road for the two players. However, he added that their selection in upcoming series would depend on their form and the requirement of the team.

Will Shreyas Iyer Play For KKR In IPL 2024? Mumbai Ranji Team Manager Gives Update

Injury-prone India batter Shreyas Iyer suffered a back issue yet again as Mumbai went on to beat Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy final on Thursday. Iyer had to miss the final phase of the title-decider due to an aggravated back injury, that seemed to have put his participation in the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign with Kolkata Knight Riders under jeopardy. But now, a team manager from the Mumbai side for the Ranji Trophy campaign, has confirmed that Iyer will be fit for the start of the IPL and will be joining the franchise's pre-season camp.

Watch: Shreyas Iyer Ends Dismal Run, Gesture Is Viral With Rohit Sharma In Attendance

It has been a tough couple of months for Shreyas Iyer. The batter was not included in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) central contracts list and his form for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy was extremely disappointing. However, Shreyas was in fine touch on Tuesday as he slammed 95 off 111 balls and his celebration has gone viral on social media. Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma was in attendance during the Ranji Trophy final match against Vidarbha and it was a perfect time for Iyer to find some form. He looked extremely in control against the bowlers and scored a gritty half-century.

"I Don't Decide BCCI Contracts": Rahul Dravid Breaks Silence On Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer Axing

The Indian cricket team's 4-1 series win against England is significant in many ways. There were top stars like Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami who were missing due to various. The series also Shreyas Iyer getting dropped after the first two Tests. Since, then he and Ishan Kishan, who was not picked up for the series, have been left out of BCCI contract list. Their apparent reluctance to play domestic was reported as a likely reason for the axing.

'Can't Practice With Franchise': Ex-KKR Star Blasts Shreyas Iyer, Drops 'Unless You're Virat Kohli' Comment

The debate around the axing of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan by the BCCI from its central contract is not ending anytime soon. The duo got penalized after they missed their respective state team's Ranji Trophy games. There were some reports which suggested that after missing domestic cricket, Iyer attended the practice session of his IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders. This news reportedly irked selectors, which led to Iyer's exclusion from the central contract. Recently, former Australia spinner Brad Hogg lashed out at the KKR skipper for not showing up for the state team.

Rohit Sharma's Firm Domestic Cricket Verdict Amid Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer Saga

As the Indian cricket team geared up for their 5th and final Test outing against England in Dharamsala, captain Rohit Sharma reaffirmed his stance on the importance of playing domestic cricket during the press conference on Wednesday. The likes of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have been in the headlines for their reluctance to play Ranji Trophy but Rohit feels it's important for everyone to play domestic cricket unless there's a medical reason, certified by the team. Though Rohit didn't take the names of Iyer and Kishan, he was firm with his message, highlighting how important it is to play First-Class cricket.