Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has issued a warning to the players who will not play the Ranji Trophy. On Friday, Shah wrote a letter to stars who got central contracts and India A players who are preparing for the IPL instead of playing for the state team.
According to a report, Shah wrote in the letter that, ‘Domestic cricket is still an important criterion for selection in the national team. Non-participation will have serious consequences. The alarming behaviour of players who prefer IPL over domestic red-ball cricket is the reason for issuing the warning.
Domestic cricket has always been the bedrock of Indian cricket
Shah wrote, “Some things have come to light recently which are cause for concern. Some players have started preferring IPL over domestic cricket. This is a change that was not expected. Domestic cricket has always been the foundation of Indian cricket.’
Domestic cricket is the backbone of Indian cricket and acts as a ‘feeder line’ for the Indian team. Our vision for Indian cricket has been clear from the very beginning. Every player who wants to play for the Indian team has to prove himself in domestic cricket. Performance in domestic cricket is an important criterion for selection and non-participation in domestic cricket will have dire consequences.’
Ishan Kishan withdrew his name from the South Africa tour in December 2023. Since then he has not been available for selection. Ishan, Iyer and Chahar are not playing Ranji matches. The letter comes after some players neglected to play in the current Ranji Trophy to stay fit and prepare for the next IPL season. These include Rajasthan fast bowler Deepak Chahar, Jharkhand wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan and Mumbai right-hand batsman Shreyas Iyer, who are not taking part in the Ranji Trophy finals that started on Friday.
Deepak Chahar played his last international match in December. Since then he has been away from cricket.
