"Forcefully, you can't do anything" - Wriddhiman Saha on Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan's snub from BCCI annual contract

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha feels a player cannot be forced to play domestic cricket if they are unwilling to in reaction to Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan's snubbing from the recently released BCCI annual contract list.

In a statement, the BCCI mentioned that the duo were not considered for the contracts for 2024-25. While Kishan was part of the Indian squad for the recent South African tour before opting out due to mental fatigue, Shreyas played in the first two Tests of the ongoing five-match series against England.

On the exclusions, Saha said, as quoted by TOI:

"That is BCCI's decision and personal decision of concerned players. Forcefully, you can't do anything. Whenever I am fit I play, even I played club matches, office matches as well. I always treat a match as a match. All matches are equal for me. If every player thinks on those lines, they will only prosper in their career and it will be better for Indian cricket as well."

Saha continued to stress the importance of playing domestic cricket, saying:

"I feel the importance of domestic cricket is always there because if I talk about Sarfaraz Khan, he had scored plenty of runs in the last 4-5 years. Definitely, he has delivered."

While the BCCI did not expand on its statement, Shreyas and Kishan skipping their respective side's recent Ranji Trophy games to practice elsewhere did not go down too well.

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"He won the last Test for the team" - Wriddhiman Saha on Dhruv Jurel

India v England - 4th Test Match: Day Four

Wriddhiman Saha praised young gloveman Dhruv Jurel for his match-winning performances in the fourth Test against England in Ranchi.

After an impressive 46 on debut, the 23-year-old bailed the side out of trouble with a sublime 90 in the first innings of the Ranchi Test. Jurel then continued his incredible game with a resolute 39* in India's tricky final innings run chase to help India clinch a five-wicket win.

"I have never seen him (Jurel) in domestic cricket, even in Test matches I have seen in him highlights. But his batting is outstanding, he won the last Test for the team," said Saha.

"It is always good to see that your reserve bench is ready, whenever somebody is getting chance. Over that, some players are getting opportunity but don't want to play, which they shouldn't. Whenever you get a chance to play, you should play whether it is red ball or white ball," he added.

Jurel's dream game helped India take an unassailable 3-1 series lead, with the fifth and final Test to be played in Dharamsala, starting March 7.