BCCI Sends Strong Signal: Domestic Cricket First, Terminates Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer Contracts
Star cricketers Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer faced an unexpected blow as they were left out of Team India 's Annual Player Contracts for the 2023-24 season, a decision announced recently by the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI ).
Despite speculation swirling around their exclusion , the finalized contract list spans from October 1st, 2023 to September 30th, 2024. The BCCI clarified its stance, stating, "Please note that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations."
Kishan, who took a break during the South Africa tour, was omitted from the T20Is against Afghanistan and the ongoing Test series against England.
Regarding Kishan's absence, India's head coach Rahul Dravid emphasized the need for the player to prove himself through domestic cricket to earn a recall to the national team.
In contrast, Iyer participated in the initial two Tests against England before being sidelined for the remainder of the series. The BCCI did not provide specific reasons for his exclusion, although his absence from Jharkhand's Ranji Trophy fixtures raised eyebrows.
Adding to the speculation, Iyer recently withdrew from a Ranji Trophy encounter due to a back problem, a development hinted at by reports in the Times of India.
Following the exclusion of Kishan and Iyer from central contracts, the BCCI underscored the importance of national team members prioritizing domestic cricket engagements.
"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 BCCI advised.
Among the contracted players, stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja retained their spots in the highest - A+ - category. Additionally, six players - R Ashwin, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Hardik Pandya - secured contracts in the A category.
"Additionally, athletes who meet the criteria of playing a minimum of 3 Tests or 8 ODIs or 10 T20Is within the specified period will automatically be included in Grade C on a pro-rata basis. For instance, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, having played 2 Test matches so far, will be inducted into Grade C if they participate in the Dharamsala Test Match, i.e., the 5th Test of the ongoing series against England," said BCCI.
Furthermore, the BCCI introduced Fast Bowling contracts for several athletes, including Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal, and Vidwath Kaverappa.
Despite speculation swirling around their exclusion , the finalized contract list spans from October 1st, 2023 to September 30th, 2024. The BCCI clarified its stance, stating, "Please note that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations."
Kishan, who took a break during the South Africa tour, was omitted from the T20Is against Afghanistan and the ongoing Test series against England.
Regarding Kishan's absence, India's head coach Rahul Dravid emphasized the need for the player to prove himself through domestic cricket to earn a recall to the national team.
In contrast, Iyer participated in the initial two Tests against England before being sidelined for the remainder of the series. The BCCI did not provide specific reasons for his exclusion, although his absence from Jharkhand's Ranji Trophy fixtures raised eyebrows.
Adding to the speculation, Iyer recently withdrew from a Ranji Trophy encounter due to a back problem, a development hinted at by reports in the Times of India.
Following the exclusion of Kishan and Iyer from central contracts, the BCCI underscored the importance of national team members prioritizing domestic cricket engagements.
"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 BCCI advised.
Among the contracted players, stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja retained their spots in the highest - A+ - category. Additionally, six players - R Ashwin, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Hardik Pandya - secured contracts in the A category.
"Additionally, athletes who meet the criteria of playing a minimum of 3 Tests or 8 ODIs or 10 T20Is within the specified period will automatically be included in Grade C on a pro-rata basis. For instance, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, having played 2 Test matches so far, will be inducted into Grade C if they participate in the Dharamsala Test Match, i.e., the 5th Test of the ongoing series against England," said BCCI.
Furthermore, the BCCI introduced Fast Bowling contracts for several athletes, including Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal, and Vidwath Kaverappa.
Next Story