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regular-article-logo Thursday, 16 May 2024

Ishan Kishan turns a deaf ear to BCCI's instructions to play domestic cricket

Shreyas Iyer, who was dropped from the squad after the first two Tests versus England, and Deepak Chahar have also not made themselves available for their respective teams

Our Special Correspondent Calcutta Published 17.02.24, 10:05 AM
Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan File image

Ishan Kishan could face action from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for ignoring instructions to play domestic cricket.

The Board had directed all contracted players and those in the reckoning for a national call-up to play Ranji Trophy, well in advance before the final round of league matches got underway on Friday. But Kishan has continued to not pay heed to such instructions.

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Shreyas Iyer, who was dropped from the squad after the first two Tests versus England, and Deepak Chahar have also not made themselves available for their respective teams.

Iyer will be excused since he has complained of stiffness in the back and is reportedly at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore. But neither Kishan nor Chahar has informed the Board about the reasons for their absence and that has irked the brass.

Kishan has been training with Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya at the Kiran More Academy in Bangalore, while Chahar was seen putting in the hard yards at Chennai Super Kings’ nets.

It is still not clear what steps the BCCI would take, but several measures to rein in the players are being discussed. Ignoring such directives from the national selectors could lead to players getting their annual contracts suspended temporarily or even a demotion in their grade.

Kishan could also not be considered for selection to the national side for the T20 World Cup in June. The selectors are already looking beyond him and Jitesh Sharma or Sanju Samson could be tried out in his place.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has already said that the Board wasn't going to "tolerate tantrums", asserting that players who weren't on national duty or undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA have to play red-ball cricket.

"(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. 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," the BCCI secretary had issued a warning ahead of the third Test in Rajkot.

Jharkhand are playing Rajasthan in Jamshedpur and it was learnt that Kishan has so far not made any contact with the officials of his state association.

Kishan had requested the team management for a break during the Test series in South Africa and has since not participated in any match. His attitude has come under scrutiny along with his preference for the IPL at the cost of national commitments.

Hardik Pandya too hasn't played a Ranji match, but he is still undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA for the ankle injury sustained in November.

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