Why are Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan removed from BCCI annual player contracts?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Annual Player Contracts for Team India for the 2023-24 season on Thursday, February 28. The list encompassing 30 athletes was devoid of two major players in the form of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer.

The duo have made the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent times. Their actions have been duly noted by BCCI, and punishment has also been inflicted, just as it was forewarned by the higher-ups.

A statement from BCCI mentioned that the pair were not considered for the annual contract for the season, which was followed by an ominous reminder for the players to be available for their domestic teams if they are not involved with the national team or not nursing an injury.

"Please note that Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations. The BCCI has recommended that all athletes give precedence to participating in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team," a part of BCCI's statement read

Iyer and Kishan's absence from the list stems from the fact that they failed to turn up for their domestic sides despite multiple warnings by the BCCI. Kishan, who had withdrawn from India's squad in South Africa, was not considered for the home series against England as he did not partake in the Ranji Trophy group stage.

Instead, he commenced preparation for the forthcoming 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season by training with the Pandya brothers in Baroda. He is currently partaking in the DY Patil T20 Tournament in Navi Mumbai.

Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, was released from India's squad after the second Test in Vishakapatnam. He refused to represent Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, complaining of injury, while the National Cricket Academy (NCA) maintained that Iyer had no fresh injuries and was fit to play.

The batter has reportedly made himself available for Mumbai's upcoming Ranji Trophy semi-final clash against Tamil Nadu. However, it might just prove to be too little, too late, or a case of making amends to return to the central contract list for the next season.

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"Non-participation in domestic cricket will carry severe implications" - Jay Shah remains true to his word after Iyer and Kishan's no-show

Jay Shah, in a letter to the players, issued a warning over their decision to prioritize the IPL over domestic cricket. Indicating that the consequences will be dire if the trend follows, the BCCI secretary asked the players to prove themselves in the domestic circuit.

"It is essential to recognise that domestic cricket forms the backbone of Indian cricket and serves as the feeder line to Team India. Our vision for Indian cricket has been clear from the outset - every cricketer aspiring to play for India must prove themselves in domestic cricket. Performance in domestic tournaments remains a critical yardstick for selection, and non-participation in domestic cricket will carry severe implications," Jay Shah stated.

Rohit Sharma had also spoken about the plaguing issue among the players, stating outright that candidates showing 'hunger' for the longest format will be given precedence over those who do not.

"We will give opportunity only to players who have that hunger. You come to know [easily] the players who don't have that hunger, [or] players who don't want to stay here [and play this format]. We come to know that," Rohit Sharma said during the post-match press conference after the fourth Test in Ranchi.

Do you think the BCCI have made the right call by excluding Kishan and Iyer from the contract list? Let us know what you think.