Ishan Kishan issued 'follow the rules' ultimatum as Jay Shah openly threatens India star

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is working to revive first-class cricket by mandating centrally contracted players to participate in domestic matches. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah stated that players like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have returned to domestic competitions due to these stern measures.

The BCCI excluded Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from their central contracts earlier this year. The board made this move after they opted not to play in domestic cricket despite the BCCI's directive. Iyer recently returned for India in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, while Kishan has yet to make his comeback.

Ishan Kishan Will Have To Play Domestic Cricket - Jay Shah

Jay Shah emphasized that Team India players should participate in first-class cricket to stay connected with their roots. When asked about reintegrating Kishan, Shah stated that Kishan would need to follow the rules and participate in domestic cricket to be considered for the national team.

"He will have to follow the rules. He will have to play domestic cricket," Jay Shah was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

It's because of the harsh steps I have taken, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan are playing Duleep Trophy - Jay Shah

Jay Shah mentioned that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan returned to domestic cricket due to the BCCI's firm stance. Shah also said that players recovering from injuries must prove their fitness in domestic games before rejoining the Indian team.

"We have been little strict. When Ravindra Jadeja had got injured, I was the one who called him and asked him to play a domestic game. It's certain now, whoever gets injured and goes out, can only come into the Indian team after proving his fitness in domestic cricket," Shah added.

However, the BCCI secretary said that it would be unreasonable to burden key players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma with domestic matches. Shah said that, except for Kohli and Sharma, most top players are now participating in domestic tournaments like the Duleep Trophy.

"But it doesn't make sense to add to Virat and Rohit's load by asking them to play domestic cricket. They run the risk of getting injured," he said.

"It's because of the harsh steps I have taken, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan are playing Duleep Trophy," he added

Ishan Kishan is set to return to first-class cricket in the All India Buchi Babu Invitational Cricket Tournament. This event will help Kishan prepare for the domestic season. His chances of making the national team are slim due to the impressive performances of Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant's comeback.

The left-handed batter is also included in the Team D squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2024, which is scheduled to be played from September 5 to 22 in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, and M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Kishan will play under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer for the first round.

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