"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.

Iyer skipped a Ranji Trophy match for Mumbai as he claimed he was having a back issue. However, a report in The Indian Express, said the NCA gave a contradictory fitness report on him. During this time, several media publications have claimed, Shreyas Iyer attended a pre-IPL camp with Kolkata Knight Riders.

Kishan also missed a Ranji Trophy game for his state team Jharkhand. He went on a break midway into India's Tour of South Africa. Then he was seen training with his IPL captain Hardik Pandya but he did not play in any Ranji Trophy game.

Now, Rahul Dravid has finally broken his silence on the two making a comeback into the series.

"They are always in the mix. Everyone who is playing cricket and domestic cricket is in the mix. I don't decide contracts. It's the board and selectors who decide it. I don't even know what the criteria is. People ask my opinion on the 15, me and Rohit pick the XI. We never discuss whether a player has contract or not, whether he is going to be picked . There are enough examples of people players in different formats of the game whether they have contracts or not," Dravid said in a post-match press conference after the fifth India vs England test.

"I sometimes don't even know who are in the list of contracted players when we make these decision.