Amid Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar turning a blind eye to the ongoing Ranji Trophy season despite requests from BCCI officials, board secretary Jay Shah has warned centrally-contracted India players against prioritising the Indian Premier League (IPL) over domestic cricket. In addition to cautioning the players that ignoring domestic cricket could lead to “severe implications”, Shah expressed concern over the current trend.
In a letter written to the players earlier this week, Shah mentioned IPL’s success over the years and how domestic cricket has played a key role in shaping Indian cricket.
He wrote: “However, there is a trend that has started to emerge and is a cause for concern. Some players have begun prioritising the IPL over domestic cricket, a shift that was not anticipated. Domestic cricket has always been the foundation upon which Indian cricket stands, and it has never been undervalued in our vision for the sport.
“It is essential to recognise that domestic cricket forms the backbone of Indian cricket and serves as the feeder line to Team India. Our vision for Indian cricket has been clear from the outset – every cricketer aspiring to play for India must prove themselves in domestic cricket. Performance in domestic tournaments remains a critical yardstick for selection, and non-participation in domestic cricket will carry severe implications.”
The letter once again brings to light the Ishan Kishan fiasco, where the wicketkeeper-batter has shown reluctance in participating in any of the Ranji Trophy games for Jharkhand this season Ishan last played for India in November, in a T20I match against Australia at home before reportedly taking a mental health break during the tour of South Africa. The 25-year-old was later training in Baroda along with newly-named Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya amid repeated requests from BCCI officials to participate in the domestic first-class competition.
Iyer, who holds a Grade B BCCI contract, was dropped from the last three matches against England after a poor run of form. He did play in the opening league round of the Ranji Trophy season before the Test series against England, but did not play in the final league match of the tournament. Chahar, on the other hand, did play Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy late last year, but did not participate in any of the Ranji Trophy games for Rajasthan.
