Jay Shah warns players skipping domestic cricket, says there will be ‘severe implications’

BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Sunday said that centrally-contracted India players should play domestic cricket to make themselves available for the selection for the national team. In a letter addressed to players like Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, and Deepak Chahar, Shah emphasized the importance of domestic cricket in the selection process for the national team.

Shah acknowledged the success of the IPL but stressed that domestic cricket has always been the foundation of Indian cricket. He highlighted the board’s clear vision that players aspiring to represent India must prove themselves in domestic cricket first.

Shah emphasized that performance in domestic tournaments is a crucial factor in team selection, and non-participation could have severe implications.

The letter specifically addressed players like Ishan Kishan, who, despite possessing a Grade B BCCI contract, has been absent from the national squad.

Kishan last played for India in the T20I format against Australia in Guwahati and has faced challenges securing a spot in the playing eleven since then. Notably, he was part of the T20I squad in South Africa but did not feature in any of the three games and also missed the ongoing Ranji Trophy.

Shreyas Iyer, with a Grade C contract,was dropped from the Indian squad for the last three Tests against England. Iyer managed to score only 35 runs in the first two Tests, leading to his omission.

Deepak Chahar, not included in the recent BCCI contract renewals, faced challenges due to personal reasons. He withdrew from the final T20I against Australia and the subsequent tour of South Africa when his father suffered a stroke. It remains unclear whether Chahar is available for selection in the upcoming matches.