Former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev has shared his thoughts on the BCCI’s strict rules requiring players to participate in domestic cricket if they want to be considered for national team selection.
Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not included in the BCCI’s central contracts because they haven’t shown interest in playing red-ball cricket. Since then, Kishan has played in the DY Patil tournament, and Iyer is gearing up to play in the Ranji Trophy semi-final match against Tamil Nadu. Before being left out, Iyer played a crucial role in India’s World Cup campaign, scoring over 500 runs, including a century in the semi-final against New Zealand. Kishan’s reluctance to play red-ball cricket has been clear since he was benched in the South Africa series.
Kapil Dev Backs BCCI’s Decision To Terminate Ishan And Shreyas’ Central Contracts
Kishan and Iyer received backing from former Indian cricketers Kirti Azad and Irfan Pathan. However, Kapil Dev supported the BCCI’s decision, stating that it helps protect the integrity of domestic tournaments in India. Kapil Dev said:
“Yes, few players will suffer, kuch logon ko taqleef hogi, hone do lekin desh se badhkar koi nahi hai (some people will feel hurt but let it be because nobody is bigger than the country). Well done,”
He added: “I congratulate the BCCI for taking the much-needed step to protect the status of domestic cricket. I was sad to see domestic cricket being given the skip by players once they had established themselves in international cricket,”
Ishan Kishan skipped the South Africa series due to personal and mental fatigue and didn’t play domestic cricket for Jharkhand. Shreyas Iyer faced a lower-back injury during the Indian Test series, worked on his fitness at the NCA, and withdrew from a Mumbai match. Both cases relate to BCCI’s mandate for players to participate in domestic cricket, leading to contract termination if not followed.
Kapil Dev supports BCCI’s decision to terminate the contracts of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan indirectly by saying, “कुछ को तकलीफ़ होगी, होने दो। देश से बढ़के कोई नहीं है”pic.twitter.com/Q9cUtTY1VL
— Abhishek Ojha (@vicharabhio) March 1, 2024
Kapil further stressed that Indian cricket stars should participate in domestic matches for their home states. He said:
“It was high time the message was given and this strong step by the BCCI will go a long way in restoring the prestige of domestic cricket. I have always believed in the process of international players making themselves available to play for their respective states. It helps them extend their support to domestic players. Also, it is a nice way to pay back for the services rendered by the state association in grooming a player,”
India’s team for the fifth Test match was revealed with the return of Jasprit Bumrah for the game in Dharamsala. Following their series victory against England, India currently holds the second position on the WTC points table, while their opponents are positioned eighth on the table.
