BCCI’s secretary, Jay Shah emphasized that the board will not tolerate any displays of player tantrums. He stated that it is mandatory for all centrally contracted players who are fit to participate in the Ranji Trophy. This statement was seen as a direct response to the recent actions of Ishan Kishan, implying that his behavior fell short of the expected standards set by the BCCI.
Jay Shah Takes A Dig At Ishan Kishan For Not Playing Ranji Trophy
Despite comments from Rahul Dravid urging him to represent Jharkhand in domestic cricket, Ishan Kishan remains hesitant. He chose not to participate in the South Africa tour and subsequently skipped Ranji Trophy matches. Currently, he is focused on preparing for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
Even Rahul Dravid, the head coach of Team India, emphasized the importance of Kishan playing domestic matches before being considered for the national team. Regarding Kishan’s absence from selection against England, Dravid noted that the left-handed batter hasn’t played since the South Africa tour.
At the media interaction during the renaming event of the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Jay Shah stressed the importance of centrally contracted Indian players engaging in domestic red-ball tournaments without any exemptions. He said:
“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.”
Jay Shah clarified that players’ participation in these domestic competitions would follow the recommendations from the NCA. He highlighted the significance of taking into account the players’ physical capabilities, affirming that the board would not impose 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,”
He added: “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,”
