Amid BCCI’s decision to omit Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the 2023-24 retainers list, veteran wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha emphasized the inability to compel cricketers into domestic play. Saha’s stance echoes the challenge of enforcing participation, sparking discussions on player autonomy in shaping their cricketing journeys.
No Iyer-Ishan in Central Contract:
On February 28, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the annual retainers for the senior men’s team players for the 2023-24 period. In a surprising move, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan found themselves excluded from the annual contract list, despite their participation in India’s ODI World Cup campaign the previous year. Despite being categorized in Grade B and Grade C respectively in the 2022-23 season, both players were left out of the retainers contracts this time around, signaling a shift in the board’s priorities or perhaps a reevaluation of player performances and future strategies.
This decision has sparked discussions and raised eyebrows among fans and analysts, questioning the criteria behind the BCCI‘s selection process and the future implications for the two talented cricketers. The exclusion of Iyer and Kishan highlights the competitive nature of Indian cricket and the ever-evolving landscape of player contracts, reinforcing the need for consistent performance and adaptability to secure a spot in the national team’s retainers roster.
Wriddhiman Saha’s Words:
Saha refrains from commenting on Ishan and Iyer’s decision to skip domestic cricket but underscores the importance of first-class cricket as the foundation for players’ success. Without passing judgment, he advocates cherishing this essential element, implying that thriving in the sport is rooted in respecting and excelling at the foundational level.
He said, “Whenever I am fit I play, even I played club matches, office matches as well. I always treat a match as a match. All matches are equal for me. If every player thinks on those lines, they will only prosper in their career and it will be better for Indian cricket as well,”
Later he added. “I feel the importance of domestic cricket is always there because if I talk about Sarfaraz Khan, he had scored plenty of runs in the last 4-5 years. Definitely, he has delivered.”
In the last Test, Dhruv Jurel played an amazing knock. Saha praised him. He said, “I have never seen him (Jurel) in domestic cricket, even in Test matches I have seen in him highlights. But his batting is outstanding, he won the last Test for the team.”
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