BCCI Central Contracts: Iyer, Kishan Excluded; Pandya’s Differential Treatment Raises Questions
Iyer and Kishan’s Contract Exclusion
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to exclude Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the annual contract list, citing their failure to prioritize domestic cricket, especially the Ranji Trophy, over the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite repeated warnings from BCCI regarding this, both players faced the consequences of not heeding the advice.
Differential Treatment for Hardik Pandya
A discussion has emerged within the cricketing community about the perceived differential treatment given to all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Hardik has been away from international cricket since the ODI World Cup and has not played any competitive cricket since then. However, despite his absence, questions are being raised about why he hasn’t faced similar consequences for not prioritizing red-ball cricket.
Kishan’s Inactivity and Iyer’s Back Pain
Ishan Kishan has not participated in any competitive cricket since the ODI World Cup 2023 and the Twenty20 series against Australia. Shreyas Iyer, after the second Test against England, moved to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for recovery but did not play in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final, citing slim chances and back pain as reasons.
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Hardik Pandya’s Red-Ball Cricket Hiatus
Hardik Pandya sidelined due to injury, made a comeback by playing in the DY Patil tournament after rehabbing at the NCA. He informed the BCCI that his body couldn’t handle the rigors of Test cricket. Despite not playing a first-class match since 2018, Pandya is a regular member of India’s ODI and Twenty20 squads and is working on his fitness with BCCI’s permission.
Irfan Pathan’s Direct Question
Former cricketer Irfan Pathan questioned the differential treatment, asking whether players like Hardik Pandya, who opted out of red-ball cricket, should participate in white-ball domestic cricket when not on national duty. He emphasized the need for consistent rules, stating that Indian cricket’s expected results might be compromised if there’s no uniformity in the application of rules.
Pathan’s Tweet Goes Viral
Irfan Pathan’s tweet expressing his viewpoint on the matter has gone viral, sparking discussions among fans and the cricketing fraternity regarding fairness and consistency in BCCI’s approach to player contracts.
Read also: Irfan Pathan’s Take on BCCI Contracts: Equality and Comebacks