Jay Shah takes a dig at Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer as he sends a strict warning to centrally contracted Indian players

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah said that the board will not tolerate any player tantrums. Jay Shah said that all fit centrally contracted players must participate in the Ranji Trophy, indirectly addressing Ishan Kishan’s recent actions.

Ishan Kishan is reluctant to represent Jharkhand in domestic cricket, despite Rahul Dravid’s remarks. Kishan opted out of the South Africa tour and then skipped Ranji Trophy matches. He is currently preparing for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Team India’s head coach said that Ishan Kishan will have to play domestic matches before national team consideration. Reflecting on Kishan’s non-selection against England, Dravid said that the left-handed batter hasn’t started playing since the South Africa tour.

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I’m Going To Write Letters – Jay Shah

During an interaction with the media at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium renaming event, Jay Shah emphasized that centrally contracted Indian players must participate in domestic red-ball tournaments without exceptions.

“They have been informed on the phone already and I’m going to write letters as well that if your chairman of selectors, your coach and your captain are asking for it then you will have to play red-ball cricket,” Shah said, as quoted by PTI.

Last year, Ishan Kishan made his Test debut during the West Indies tour, scoring 78 runs across two matches. The southpaw smashed an unbeaten half-century, scoring 52 runs during the second Test match in Port of Spain against the West Indies

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This Message Is For All Centrally Contracted Players – Jay Shah

Jay Shah clarified that players’ involvement in these domestic competitions would align with the recommendations from the NCA. He emphasized the importance of considering players’ physical capabilities, stating that the board would not enforce unrealistic expectations.

“Whatever advice we get from the NCA — say suppose somebody’s body is not able to handle both white-ball and red-ball cricket — so we do not want to impose anything in that regard. (It applies to) whoever is fit and young — we are not going to tolerate any other tantrums. This message is for all centrally contracted players,” Shah said.

“Everyone will have to play, otherwise, the chairman of the selection committee has given me his suggestions and I am going to give him a free hand to let him take his own calls freely,” he added.

In the absence of Ishan Kishan and the ongoing recovery of Rishabh Pant from injuries, India has relied on KS Bharat as the wicketkeeper-batter. Although Bharat has showcased proficiency in his wicketkeeping skills, his performance with the bat has been unimpressive.

The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team aims to seize the advantage in their five-match Test series as they take on England in Rajkot. Interestingly, the inaugural Test at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium featured England against India.

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