In a recent development, Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI), has provided insights into the exclusion of cricketers Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the BCCI central contract. Shah revealed that the decision to omit these players was made by chief selector Ajit Agarkar. This move came after both players failed to participate in domestic tournaments, raising concerns about their commitment to domestic cricket.
“While you can check the constitution, I am just a convener (of the selection meeting),” Shah said on Thursday at a press meet. “That decision lies with Ajit Agarkar, even when these two players (Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer) who did not play domestic (cricket), the decision to drop them (from the central contracts list) was only his. My role is just to implement. And we have got new players (in place), like Sanju (Samson). Nobody is indispensable,” he added.
While Iyer did play a few matches for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, he missed the crucial semi-final and final matches. Furthermore, it was revealed that he had attended a camp organized by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) while his Mumbai teammates were actively participating in a Ranji Trophy match. On the other hand, Kishan took an indefinite break from cricket and only returned to action when the Indian Premier League (IPL) commenced.
Jay Shah clarified his role in the decision-making process, stating that as a convener of the selection meeting, the final decision regarding player contracts lies with the chief selector. Shah reiterated that Ajit Agarkar made the call to drop Kishan and Iyer from the central contracts list, and his role was simply to implement that decision. He also highlighted the inclusion of new players like Sanju Samson, emphasizing that no player is considered indispensable.
Shah’s remarks underline the BCCI’s stance on prioritizing domestic cricket and player commitment to the game at all levels. The exclusion of Kishan and Iyer from the central contract serves as a reminder to all players about the importance of actively participating in domestic tournaments and aligning with the BCCI’s vision for Indian cricket.
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