Why Shreyas Iyer And Ishan Kishan Lost Central Contracts? All You Need To Know

BCCI issued a clear directive to players: prioritize domestic cricket if not playing for India. This ultimatum was recently highlighted by Secretary Jay Shah during an event.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made headlines recently by dropping star players Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the central contracts. Though reasons for Kishan and Iyer losing their contracts were not specified, the rationale behind their exclusion is very clear: prioritize domestic cricket for national team selection and central contracts.

Both Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer were absent from cricket during crucial periods. Ishan opted out during India's tour of South Africa, taking a 'personal leave' and didn't participate in domestic cricket, while Shreyas faced a form slump and was subsequently dropped from the Indian team. Shreyas also remained absent from the Mumbai Ranji team, citing injury despite being declared fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

According to an ESPN report, the Indian team management approached Ishan Kishan for the India vs. England Test series, but he wasn't prepared, resulting in Dhruv Jurel making his Test debut for India.

BCCI's solid statement: Prioritize domestic cricket, not IPL

The BCCI has issued a clear directive to players: prioritize domestic cricket if not playing for the Indian team. This ultimatum was recently highlighted by secretary Jay Shah during an event, warning players against prioritizing the IPL over domestic cricket. Indian captain Rohit Sharma has also emphasized that only "hunger" for Test cricket can pave the way for future selection.

Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, a BCCI official said, "If the NCA says you are fit and you are not playing Tests, how can the BCCI offer a contract?"

The official clarified that while the player's abilities are not in question, their non-participation raises concerns. If they regain form and meet the required match criteria, they may become eligible for a contract after the IPL.

BCCI's criteria for automatic entry in Grade C category

 "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," an official release from BCCI read.

Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan likely to get Grade C category contract

Should Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel participate in IND vs ENG 5th Test in Dharamshala, having already played 2 Test matches, they would automatically qualify for a Grade C contract due to meeting the requirement of playing 3 Test matches.