BCCI Secretary Jay Shah Stern Warning as Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, and Deepak Chahar Skip Ranji Trophy Order

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah Stern Warning as Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, and Deepak Chahar Skip Ranji Trophy Order

Board secretary Jay Shah has cautioned centrally-contracted India players against giving the Indian Premier League (IPL) priority over domestic cricket because players like Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, and Deepak Chahar are ignoring the current Ranji Trophy season despite requests from BCCI authorities. Shah voiced concern about the present trend and warned the players that neglecting domestic cricket might have “severe implications.” Shah discussed the success of the Indian Premier League over the years and the significant influence domestic cricket has had on the development of Indian cricket in a letter to the players earlier this week, which ESPNCricinfo obtained.

But he also added, “There is a tendency that is concerning that has begun to emerge. Unexpectedly, several players now seem to place a higher emphasis on the IPL than on regional cricket. Our vision for the sport has never undervalued domestic cricket, which has always served as the cornerstone of Indian cricket. It is imperative to acknowledge that domestic cricket functions as the foundation of Indian cricket and provides a pipeline for Team India. We have always been clear about our goal for Indian cricket: to play for India, a cricketer must first establish themselves in their own country. Participation in domestic cricket competitions is still a crucial criterion for selection, and missing out on them will have dire consequences.”

The letter brings up the controversy surrounding Ishan Kishan, the batsman-wicketkeeper who has declined to participate in any Ranji Trophy matches for Jharkhand this year. It’s believed that Ishan took a break from his mental health while on tour in South Africa. In November, he made his Indian debut against Australia in a home Twenty20 international match. Subsequently, the 25-year-old was practicing in Baroda with recently appointed Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, following several requests from BCCI authorities to take part in the First-Class domestic championship.

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After a bad run of play, Iyer—who has a Grade B BCCI contract—was benched for the last three games against England. Before the Test series against England, he participated in the Ranji Trophy season’s first league round; however, he did not play in the competition’s championship league match. Contrarily, Chahar did play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches towards the end of the previous year, but he did not take part in any Rajasthan Ranji Trophy matches.