Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has called for Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan to be determined to regain their spot in the Indian team. Both the players were committed from the Annual Contracts list which was announced on Wednesday, February 28 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
The board and the Indian selectors are reportedly upset over Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan missing the Ranji Trophy matches of the ongoing season. Iyer was dropped from India’s test squad for the last three matches against England. He struggled to make an impact in the first two tests. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan had asked for a break from the sport. He was practicing with his IPL captain Hardik Pandya in Baroda, which has not gone down well with the selectors. He made a return to the sport in the ongoing DY Patil T20 tournament.
The BCCI mentioned in their statement announcing the central contracts,
“Please note that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations.”
Reacting to their exclusions, Ravi Shastri wrote on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter)
“In the game of cricket, comebacks define the spirit. Chin-up, @ShreyasIyer15 and @ishankishan51! Dig deep, face challenges, and come back even stronger. Your past achievements speak volumes, and I have no doubt you’ll conquer once again.”
In the game of cricket, comebacks define the spirit. Chin-up, @ShreyasIyer15 and @ishankishan51! Dig deep, face challenges, and come back even stronger. Your past achievements speak volumes, and I have no doubt you'll conquer once again.
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) February 28, 2024
Selectors not pleased with Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer – Reports
According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, the Indian selectors are not pleased with Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer opting to miss Ranji Trophy matches. Ishan took the time away from the game to train with Hardik Pandya in Baroda. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer was also at Kolkata Knight Riders’ pre-season camp. He missed the Ranji trophy quarter-final for Mumbai but has made himself available for the semi-final.
“The selectors don’t doubt their ability. But if the NCA is saying you are fit and you are not making yourself available for the Test series, how can the BCCI offer you a contract?” a BCCI official told ESPNcricinfo.
“After the IPL, if they happen to get selected and fulfil the criteria of the number of matches required for a pro-rata contract, they will be awarded a contract,” added tha official.
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