The Board of Control for Cricket In India has sent a strong message to the Indian cricketers by omitting Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the list of the players who are a part of the annual player retainership 2023-24 – Team India (Senior Men).
Both the cricketers were reminded repeatedly to play Ranji Trophy for their states but they ignored the reminders and by not including them in the list, the BCCI has tried to convey the message to every cricketer that domestic cricket is more important than the IPL.
Shreyas Iyer played the first two test matches against England but he was dropped from the remaining three test matches because of his poor form and he was asked by the coach Rahul Dravid and the team management to play for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. However, Shreyas Iyer chose not to play despite repeated reminders, he cited injury issues but things got problematic for him when the National Cricket Academy intervened in the matter and made it clear to the Mumbai Cricket Association that Shreyas Iyer is completely fit, has no injury concerns and he is match-fit.
After this, Shreyas Iyer joined the Mumbai team for the upcoming semi-final match against Tamil Nadu but till then, he had rubbed the selectors and the BCCI secretary Jay Shah in a wrong manner. What made the matter worse was the fact that Shreyas Iyer chose not to play domestic cricket despite Jay Shah issuing a strong warning to the Indian cricketers that they have to play domestic cricket when they are not on national duty otherwise they will have to face serious consequences.
Shreyas Iyer was in Grade B till last year but this time he didn’t get the annual contract. Many feel that such instances are taking place because players are giving more importance to the IPL than domestic cricket and Iyer was keeping himself fit for the IPL 2024 which will start from 22 March.
Ishan Kishan, the young Indian wicketkeeper-batter who was in Grade C, pulled out from the South Africa tour citing mental fatigue and since then, he hasn’t played cricket despite the fact that he may have played 3-4 matches for Jharkhand at domestic level (red-ball cricket) during this period.
Ishan Kishan also chose to give priority to his fitness and return to cricketing action only in the ongoing DY Patil T20 tournament which is taking place in Navi Mumbai. Like Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan also ignored the repeated reminders from the coach and the selectors and he also ignored the warning given by Jay Shah which cost him in the form of exclusion from the list of annual retention contracts.
Will this move by the BCCI make the Indian cricketers focus more on red-ball cricket in domestic cricket? What do you think?