Out-of-favour batters Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were shown the exit door by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for ignoring the apex cricket board’s directive to feature in the Ranji Trophy on Wednesday. Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan‘s names went missing from the 30-player annual retainership list shared by the BCCI for the 2023-2024 season. With opinions taking flight after BCCI unveiled the list of centrally-contracted players.
For the first time, the BCCI who received the fast bowling contracts. The selection committee has been handing out fast-bowling offers to Indian pacers since the 2021-2022. Speedsters Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal and Vidwath Kaverappa have made the cut for the season.
Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan lose BCCI contracts
Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Ishan Kishan was given a Grade C contract last year. Ishan Kishan received a personal break from the BCCI when India toured South Africa. Ishan Kishan last played for India in November last year. However, the wicketkeeper-batter showed up to play the DY Patil T20 Cup in Mumbai. The 25-year-old did not play for Jharkhand throughout the Ranji season.
His former India teammate Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of Mumbai’s Ranji quarterfinal against Baroda. Iyer has made himself available for Mumbai’s semi-final clash with Tamil Nadu.
BCCI’s stern message to all the players post exclusion of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan.
Sharing the media advisory ahead of the 5th and final Test against England, the BCCI advised all Indian players to represent their domestic teams when they are not on national duty. “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 statement.
“The BCCI has recommended that all athletes give precedence to participating in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team,” the apex board added.
Mumbai’s Shreyas Iyer will lead Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Shreyas Iyer was India’s star performer at the ICC World Cup 2023. The Mumbai batter lost his Grade B contract after being released from India’s Test squad for the England series. Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly too have urged the players to five importance to first class cricket post contract debacles to key players.
Ranji Trophy is a premier tournament- Sourav Ganguly
Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan’s central contracts were terminated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The aforementioned names were among the notable absentees from the list announced by the Indian board on Wednesday, February 28.
Reacting to the same, former BCCI president and India captain Sourav Ganguly opined that Iyer and Kishan’s reluctance to play domestic cricket may have been the reason behind the recent developments.
Ishan Kishan’s absence from the premier domestic tournament has raised pertinent questions about the commitment of players to the traditional format of the game. Ganguly emphasized the importance of contracted players participating in premier tournaments like the Ranji Trophy, considering it to be a fundamental aspect of cricketing culture in India.
“I think the BCCI wants them (Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan) to play first-class cricket. I’m surprised why Shreyas Iyer hasn’t played Ranji Trophy. It’s a premier tournament, Ranji Trophy, and you’re supposed to play,”
He added:
“So, it’s a decision by the BCCI, and what they thought [was] right, they’ve done it. But players must play first-class cricket. That’s the basic basis of cricket in this country,”
While Shreyas Iyer has been named in Mumbai’s squad for their upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024 semifinal against Tamil Nadu, Ishan Kishan is playing in the ongoing DY Patil T20 Cup in Mumbai.
Expressing his surprise at Kishan missing Ranji Trophy matches, Ganguly added:
“That’s wrong. You’re supposed to play first-class cricket. It’s a premier tournament of your country and you’re a contracted player. Once you’re a contracted player, you’re expected to play. Shreyas Iyer is playing the semifinal for Bombay in a couple of days time. Ishan Kishan has surprised me. He was a part of the Indian team in all formats, Test cricket, 50-over cricket, such a big contract in IPL, so I don’t know why he has done that,”
Ishan Kishan has been absent from the national team since opting out of the South Africa Test series, citing mental fatigue. Iyer, on the other hand, featured in the first two Tests of the ongoing five-match home series against England, but was removed from the roster for the last three fixtures.
The BCCI’s decision to exclude players like Kishan and Iyer from central contracts may be viewed as a measure to emphasize the importance of first-class cricket.