Hardik Pandya awarded central contract only after giving undertaking to BCCI: report

As the chatter around Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan's cancelled central contracts continues, it is Hardik Pandya's inclusion that has garnered eyeballs.

Former players along with analysts have questioned Pandya's upgradation to the A category despite declining to play red-ball cricket and being majorly absent from India's white-ball fixtures owing to an injury last year during the World Cup.

The Indian Express on February 29 reported that the 30-year-old has given an undertaking to the BCCI 'that if there are no white-ball commitments with the national team, he would feature for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s and Vijay Hazare Trophy.'

Quoting a BCCI official, the report revealed discussions within the top body about Pandya's contract, 'We have had discussions with Pandya, who has been told to play domestic white-ball tournaments when he is available. At this stage, according to the assessment of the BCCI’s medical team, he is not in a position to bowl in red-ball tournaments. So playing Ranji Trophy is out of the equation for Pandya. But he has to play other white-ball tournaments if there are no India commitments. If not, he will miss out on a contract.'