"Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer central contracts will be restored only if..." - BCCI takes massive step after IPL 2024

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has given a lifeline to Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan after missing out on central contracts. The BCCI has included Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan in the National Cricket Academy's (NCA) High Performance Monitoring Programme for the 2024-25 domestic season.

The BCCI dropped Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the annual central contract list. The young batters failed to make it into the list despite being regular members of the Indian national cricket team. The pair were not considered after they refused to play in the domestic circuit despite repeated warnings.

Ishan Kishan left midway through the South Africa tour for a mental break. The wicketkeeper-batter opted not to play for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy despite head coach Rahul Dravid's clear directive. Instead, the left-handed batter started preparation for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

This Is A Signal To Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan - The BCCI Source

The BCCI has included around 30 players, including Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, in the National Cricket Academy's High-Performance Monitoring Programme for the upcoming domestic cricket season.

According to a Times of India report, this is an opportunity for the two players to demonstrate their commitment to domestic cricket. They could potentially regain their central contracts and earn a recall to the Indian team if they participate in upcoming domestic tournaments and perform well.

"The BCCI, or the national selection committee has nothing against Iyer and Kishan. If they improve their attitude towards domestic cricket and turn out for their state teams (Mumbai and Jharkhand) in the forthcoming domestic season, there's every chance that their central contracts will be restored and they will be recalled into the Indian team, if they perform well. This is a signal to them that they are on the radar of the selectors," a well-placed source in the BCCI told TOI on Saturday.

Musheer Khan, Mayank Yadav, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, Harshit Rana, Khaleel Ahmed, Tushar Deshpande, Riyan Parag, Ashutosh Sharma, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Prithvi Shaw, and spin allrounders Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian from Mumbai are included in the list.

The list comprises players without central contracts with the BCCI. These players are on the cusp of selection for the Indian team. They are likely to feature in the India 'A' squad in the upcoming season. 

Musheer Khan showcased impressive performances both in the Under-19 World Cup and the Ranji Trophy. In the Under-19 World Cup, Musheer scored 360 runs in seven matches at an average of 60.00, including two centuries and one half-century. He also took seven wickets at an average of 26.57.

The 19-year-old batter played a crucial role in Mumbai's 42nd triumph in the Ranji Trophy last season. He scored 433 runs in three knockout matches at an average of 108.25, including two centuries. He scored 203 not out against Baroda in the quarterfinal and 136 runs in the final against Vidarbha.

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