The BCCI secretary Jay Shah said the omission of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the list of centrally-contracted players was completely decided by chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar.
Kishan and Iyer were left out after failing to show up for domestic engagements despite a directive from the BCCI. While Kishan went on a long break after the end of the ODI World Cup last year and remained unavailable until the IPL, Iyer did feature in a few matches for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, including the semifinal and the final.
However, Iyer found himself at the receiving end after it emerged that he had attended a Kolkata Knight Riders’ camp in Mumbai when his domestic side was busy playing a Ranji Trophy fixture.
Jay Shah speaks about Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer’s omission
Jay Shah emphasized the importance of prioritizing domestic cricket for Indian players, despite any individual player’s performance in the IPL.
“You can check the constitution. I am just a convener (of the selection meeting),” he said during a media interaction at the BCCI head office on Thursday. “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.
Jay Shah said, "Ajit Agarkar decided to remove Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the central contract. I am just a convener. My role is to implement. And we have got new players in place, like Sanju Samson. Nobody is indispensable". pic.twitter.com/hsSYNqcXFz
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 10, 2024
In the days leading up to the contract snub, Shah had stated before the third Test between India and England in February this year that he would completely back the chief selector’s decision for any action on players who do not comply with the Indian captain and team management’s requirement for participation in domestic cricket.
Shah said he spoke with the players after their exclusion. “Yes, I had spoken with them. Media had even carried the reports,” he said. “Even Hardik (Pandya) said if BCCI is considering me for white-ball, then I am ready to play Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Any player will have to play, even if they do not want to, they will have to,” Shah continued.
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