BCCI considering dropping Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer from central contracts list: Report

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have been under the spotlight, not for their international performances but for their notable absence from the domestic cricket scene, the Ranji Trophy. Kishan has been training with the Pandya brothers ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2024, while Iyer has been dealing with a minor back spasm, hindering his participation.

However, these reasons haven't sat well with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which is reportedly reconsidering the duo's position in the forthcoming central contracts list.

According to insights from the Times of India, the BCCI is expected to exclude both Iyer and Kishan from the central contracts for the 2023-24 season. The decision stems from their continued absence from Ranji Trophy, despite the board's clear instructions to play these matches.

"The selectors, under Ajit Agarkar's leadership, have nearly completed the central contracts list for the upcoming season, which will be made public shortly by the BCCI. It appears Kishan and Iyer will not find their names on this list due to their lack of participation in domestic cricket as per the BCCI's directive," as per a source quoted by TOI.

Furthermore, a source close to Iyer clarified the situation regarding his recent exclusion from India's Test squad against England, attributing it to a back issue that has persisted since the second Test. Despite this setback, the source emphasized Iyer's significant contributions during last year's ODI World Cup and suggested that missing a few domestic games wouldn't be a justifiable reason for losing his contract.

For the 2022-23 season, Ishan Kishan was categorized under the C tier, whereas Shreyas Iyer was placed in the B tier, with earnings of Rs 1 crore and Rs 3 crore, respectively.

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