After BCCI revealed the central contract list of the players, a lot of buzz is going on. Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan missed out on the spot in the contract. After this, a lot of cricket greats are talking about the importance of red-ball cricket and domestic cricket. Recently, Kirti Azad’s comment on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli has caught the limelight.
Recent Buzz on Iyer and Ishan’s Exclusion:
Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan faced exclusion from the BCCI central contracts, a decision influenced by their absence from their respective state teams during the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. Shreyas Iyer, who held a Grade B contract last season, and Ishan Kishan, listed in Grade C, found themselves overlooked due to their non-participation in Ranji Trophy matches.
The BCCI’s decision underscores the importance of players participating in domestic cricket, with the Ranji Trophy serving as a crucial platform. The exclusion emphasizes the board’s commitment to fostering a culture where players actively engage in domestic tournaments, ensuring a robust and competitive structure that ultimately contributes to the growth and development of Indian cricket.
Kirti Azad’s Comment:
Former Indian cricketer Kirti Azad has expressed his backing for the BCCI’s firm stance, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing first-class cricket over franchise leagues like the IPL. Azad’s endorsement aligns with the board’s commitment to fostering a strong domestic cricket structure, nurturing players for success on both national and international fronts.
He said, “It (directive) is a very good move. Everybody should be playing Ranji Trophy cricket, but currently, the emphasis is on the IPL. It is good; it is entertaining, but the real cricket is the (five) days’ cricket. Playing in domestic cricket is good, it keeps you in touch. But whenever you are free, even if you’re a Rohit Sharma or a Virat Kohli, you should go back and play domestic cricket for the state.”
Later he added, “That gave you the opportunity to be a player, get selected, and then play for the country. Just to penalize the two is not correct, I think everybody should be penalised. Everybody should be seen with the same mirror.”
Azad reflected on the landscape of first-class cricket during his playing days with the Indian cricket team. He recalled the active participation of cricket legends such as Sunil Gavaskar and Bishan Singh Bedi, alongside himself and Ravi Shastri, in domestic red-ball cricket.
He said, “Back in the days, when we were starting our careers, players like Bishan Singh Bedi, Madan Lal, Surinder Amarnath, Mohinder Amarnath, Chetan Chauhan, Sunil Gavaskar, Sandeep Patil, Karsan Ghavri played alongside youngsters like me and Ravi Shastri. All these senior Test team players would play for their sides, would play for the pride of their state which seems missing in the youngsters nowadays.”
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