The recent BCCI central contract announcements introduced significant changes, earning praise from former cricketer VVS Laxman. He commended the emphasis on domestic cricket, requiring players to participate if fit and not selected for Team India. Additionally, BCCI introduced a unique fast bowler contract aimed at supporting emerging pacers, marking a noteworthy step in nurturing talent in the cricketing landscape.
Iyer and Kishan’s Exclusion from BCCI Central Contract:
BCCI chose not to include Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer in central contracts because they didn’t participate in the Ranji Trophy and domestic games. Kishan didn’t play in the Test series against South Africa and was inactive until recently when he joined the DY Patil T20 Cup.
Likewise, Iyer was advised to play Ranji Trophy after he wasn’t selected for the final three Tests against England due to poor performance in the first two Tests. This decision reflects BCCI’s emphasis on players’ involvement in domestic cricket to maintain their eligibility for central contracts.
Despite being informed by the BCCI, Iyer didn’t respond until today, causing him to lose his central contract. Reports are indicating that he might play for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals against Tamil Nadu.
VVS Laxman’s Thought:
VVS Laxman has led India’s Under-19 national team since 2022, guiding them to victory in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup. There are talks of him taking over from Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the senior men’s national team. Laxman shared his thoughts on the BCCI contract updates through his social media platform, stressing the significance of the recent changes in cricket contracts.
He said, “ It’s great to see that commitment to represent the country in the largest format of the game and emphasis to keep oneself match-ready by playing domestic cricket is being prioritised through the BCCI annual contracts. A wonderful move too to award contracts to budding fast bowlers so that they can operate without insecurities hanging over their heads.”
VVS Laxman commended the BCCI for introducing fast-bowling contracts, easing pressure on emerging pacers to focus on their development. This year, the contract includes five promising pacers: Umran Malik and Akash Deep, who have already debuted for India, and Vijaykumar Vyshak, Vidwath Kaverappa, and Yash Dayal, who are yet to make their international debut. Laxman’s support underscores the importance of nurturing young talents and providing them with opportunities to flourish in the cricketing arena.
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