Rahul Dravid, former Indian cricketer and current coach, recently addressed the exclusion of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the BCCI contracts list following their absence from domestic games. Dravid clarified that contract decisions are not within his purview, emphasizing that it’s the board and selectors who make such determinations.
He emphasized that every cricketer, including Kishan and Iyer, remains in consideration based on their fitness and performance. Dravid also mentioned that he and Rohit Sharma focus on selecting the playing XI without consideration of contract status. Regarding their exclusion, reports suggest it stemmed from Kishan and Iyer’s decision to skip domestic matches despite being declared fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
Kishan, for instance, took a break during India’s Tour of South Africa and trained with his IPL team instead of playing Ranji Trophy games. Similarly, Iyer’s absence from a Ranji Trophy match due to a purported back issue contradicted the NCA’s fitness report. Notably, Iyer was reported to have attended a pre-IPL camp with Kolkata Knight Riders during this period.
Former cricketer Madan Lal commended the BCCI for taking action against Kishan and Iyer, asserting that prioritizing IPL over domestic cricket should not be tolerated. He advocated for mandatory participation in first-class matches, highlighting the importance of respecting cricket’s traditional formats.
Lal credited the BCCI for enforcing such standards and emphasized the need for players to adhere to regulations, setting an example for others. In essence, Dravid’s remarks underscored the impartiality of contract decisions, emphasizing the importance of fitness and performance, while Lal’s comments praised the BCCI’s stance on prioritizing first-class cricket over lucrative T20 leagues like the IPL.
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