Indian cricketers Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan are facing the possibility of losing their lucrative BCCI central contracts due to their absence from crucial Ranji Trophy matches. Both players, previously designated in Grade B and Grade C central contracts respectively, are now at risk of exclusion from the upcoming contract list.
Reports from the Times of India indicate that the BCCI is in the process of finalizing the central contract list for the 2023-24 season, and it appears that Iyer and Kishan may face exclusion due to their failure to comply with the board’s directive to participate in domestic cricket.
Iyer, excluded from the Test team amidst the ongoing series against England, attributed his absence from Mumbai’s recent Ranji Trophy fixtures against Assam and Baroda to a back spasm. However, Head of Sports Science and Medicine at the National Cricket Academy, Nitin Patel, disclosed that Iyer was fit for participation, contradicting his claim.
Meanwhile, Kishan has been on a personal break since leaving the South Africa tour due to mental fatigue. Although he has been training with Hardik Pandya in Baroda, Kishan did not represent Jharkhand in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, further jeopardizing his central contract status.
Under the leadership of Ajit Agarkar, the BCCI has made it clear that centrally contracted and India A cricketers must participate in domestic cricket as a mandatory requirement. Failure to comply with this directive, as reiterated by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, will result in severe consequences for the players.
This development highlights the growing importance of domestic cricket in the career trajectories of Indian cricketers and underscores the need for them to prioritize their involvement in domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy.
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