Shreyas Iyer, recovering from a back injury, was dropped from India’s squad for the final three Tests...
Digital Desk: The Indian cricket board's recent reports reveal a somber outlook for Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan as they face potential exclusion from BCCI's central contract list for the upcoming season. Despite clear directives to participate in Ranji Trophy matches, both players have been absent from domestic cricket.
The selectors, headed by Ajit Agarkar, are finalizing the centrally contracted players for the 2023-24 season, and sources suggest that Iyer and Kishan may not find a place in the list due to their non-compliance with the board's instructions.
The BCCI had initially warned centrally contracted players to represent their state teams in the Ranji Trophy if they were not part of the national squad or undergoing treatment at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). However, both Kishan and Iyer disregarded these orders.
Ishan Kishan, citing mental fatigue, has been unavailable for selection since the white-ball tour of South Africa. Instead of participating in Ranji matches, he opted to train with his IPL team, the Mumbai Indians, alongside captain Hardik Pandya in Baroda.
On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer, recovering from a back injury, was dropped from India’s squad for the final three Tests on precautionary grounds. Despite conflicting reports about his fitness, Iyer insists on suffering from a persistent back problem that has kept him away from on-field cricket since the previous year.
Contradicting Iyer's claim, an email from Nitin Patel, head of sports, science, and medicine at the NCA, stated that Iyer was not due for treatment and was declared fit. However, sources close to Iyer argue that Patel's email was sent after the second Test against England and that a back problem has troubled Iyer since then.
In response to the players' defiance, BCCI secretary Jay Shah issued a stern warning about severe repercussions for repeated violations. Despite the confusion surrounding Iyer's fitness, some believe that his performance in the ODI World Cup in India last year should be taken into account, and he shouldn't lose his contract merely due to missing a few Ranji matches.
As the BCCI prepares to announce the centrally contracted players for the upcoming season, the fate of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan hangs in the balance, highlighting the challenging balance between player health, adherence to directives, and contractual obligations in Indian cricket.
Leave A Comment