Mumbai: BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has warned centrally contracted players for not participating in the Ranji Trophy despite not being a part of the Indian cricket team. He emphasised the importance of participating in red-ball domestic cricket to remain in for national team selection. Despite being excluded from the Indian squad playing against England, several players are not playing for their domestic team in the Ranji Trophy this season.
The BCCI secretary said that all contracted players excluded from the squad against England have been instructed to participate in red-ball cricket. Shah’s statement was straightforward, emphasising that these players must follow the instructions given by the captain, head coach, and selectors.
He clarified that his remarks were not specifically aimed at Ishan Kishan, who is not in the squad against England and is also absent from the Ranji Trophy.
Earlier, Ishan Kishan’s choice not to participate in the Ranji Trophy drew attention, as the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman returned from South Africa before the Test series due to personal reasons. Initially attributed to mental stress, Kishan’s absence from the squads against Afghanistan and England surprised many. Later, Rahul Dravid revealed that Kishan was unavailable for selection. However, the head coach emphasised that Kishan would need to play domestic cricket to make a comeback for the Indian team.
Players who are not participating in the Ranji Trophy include Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, and Deepak Chahar. Meanwhile, senior players like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are participating in domestic cricket.
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