Reports indicate that Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer are bracing for significant repercussions after opting out of participating in the Ranji Trophy 2024 season, despite directives from the Indian team management and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Both players are poised to suffer the loss of their central contracts, with the BCCI set to announce its updated list.

Ranji Trophy absence sparks contract consequences

Ishan Kishan, who has been on an extended break citing “personal reasons” since returning from India’s tour of South Africa in December and January, has been seen practicing with his Mumbai Indians captain, Hardik Pandya, in Baroda. However, he has notably refrained from representing Jharkhand in the ongoing Ranji Trophy matches.

Similarly, Shreyas Iyer’s absence from Mumbai’s recent crucial Ranji Trophy fixtures, including the quarter-final clash against Baroda, has raised eyebrows. While Iyer cited back spasms as the reason for his unavailability, Nitin Patel, the head of sports science and health at the National Cricket Academy, asserted in correspondence to the BCCI and national selectors that Iyer was deemed ‘fit’.

Is there a different rules for different players for not playing Indian first class cricket in the name of looking after the body?

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 22, 2024

A source added, “The selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, have almost finalised the list of centrally contracted players for the 2023-24 season too, which the BCCI will announce soon. Kishan and Iyer are likely to be excluded from that list, as both haven’t been playing domestic cricket despite the BCCI’s diktat to do so.” 

In the meantime, Shreyas Iyer’s close source disclosed that the batter was, “excluded from India’s squad for the last three Tests as a precautionary measure after he complained of a back problem.”

“Patel’s email to the BCCI was written after the second Test against England. Since then, a back problem has bothered Iyer. Iyer was one of India’s top-performing batsmen in the ODI World Cup in India last year. He won’t lose the contract just because he missed the odd Ranji match.”

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Ranji Trophy snub raises central contract concerns

The decision by both Kishan and Iyer to skip the Ranji Trophy, despite directives and the availability of alternative explanations, underscores the disciplinary measures enforced by the BCCI to uphold the importance of domestic cricket. The potential loss of their central contracts serves as a stark reminder of the repercussions faced by players for disregarding organizational directives and priorities.

Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer serve as cautionary tales for players navigating the delicate balance between personal commitments and professional obligations. The Ranji Trophy’s significance as a breeding ground for talent and a pathway to national representation is reaffirmed through such developments.