A number of celebrities became well-known after displaying their prolific batting in India’s largest cricket competition, the Indian Premier League (IPL). In addition to domestic competitions and cricket at the grassroots level, a new generation of cricket players has occasionally shown potential. Ishan Kishan’s name among them hardly needs an introduction. Every Indian fan still fondly recalls his infamous double ton in Bangladesh, which says everything about the level of skill in India.
In addition, he has been an essential member of the Mumbai Indians (MI) team in the realm of franchise cricket. But the powerful batsman from Jharkhand has been making waves lately with his antics, which have raised questions about whether or not it should be obligatory to play in the Ranji Trophy.
Notably, Ishan Kishan expressed no desire to play red-ball cricket for his state team after returning from a recent tour of South Africa. Rahul Dravid, the head coach of the Indian team, had really requested him to play in the local tournament, but he never showed up. Interestingly enough, he was observed rehearsing in Vadodara a few days after being spotted with MI’s new captain, Hardik Pandya and his brother, Krunal Pandya.
This raised the question of whether Ishan Kishan, who was busy getting ready for the next IPL 2024 season, purposefully used travel and mental exhaustion as excuses to decline to play red-ball cricket in favor of franchise-based cricket. His most recent action has prompted the highest cricket regulating body to consider imposing a minimum game time cap in local competitions such as the Ranji Trophy, making it a prerequisite to be considered for inclusion in the IPL or to go up for auction. It is abundantly evident from the mere possibility of conversation that the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) is not thrilled with young players like Kishan and may soon release new regulations.
“The BCCI’s decision-makers are fully aware that certain players are unwilling to participate in red-ball cricket. If they are not on the Indian team, they will, at most, play a few Mushtaq Ali T20 matches before failing to report for duty with the state team during the red-ball season, according to a senior BCCI official cited by the PTI.
“The board will probably mandate that these players play three or four Ranji Trophy matches in order to control them; if they don’t, they won’t be allowed to play in the IPL or even participate in the IPL auction if their team releases them. The state units believe that some of the rising stars will treat the Ranji Trophy with contempt until the BCCI top brass issues an order,” the official continued.
Additionally, the BCCI official shared some information about the new MI leader and the standout all-rounder for India. He disclosed that Pandya’s physical state is not optimal for handling the demanding demands of playing in Test matches. It was therefore reasonable for him to give limited overs cricket priority and continue to be available for important International Cricket Council (ICC) matches. However, some young people utilize fitness regimens as an excuse to miss national competitions like the Ranji Trophy.
We can sympathize with Hardik Pandya’s situation since his physique isn’t meant for the demands of red-ball cricket. India wants him to be fit for ICC events, but he cannot handle the demands of Test cricket. However, when you call any of the other kids, they always say they’re working as physiotherapists. Somewhere, a stop must be made,” he said.
To date, there have been no conversations about central contracts. Senior representative of BCCI
Aside from Ishan Kishan’s recent actions, there were a lot of rumors that the Indian board would end the central contract for the Jharkhand batters. Notably, the 25-year-old is classified as Grade C and receives an annual retainership of Rs 1 crore from BCCI. Similarly, in response to a question concerning whether the board would punish Ishan Kishan severely for not attending Ranji Trophy 2024, the official stated that no conversation had yet taken place about Kishan’s central contract.
Additionally, the top cricket board in the world has ordered Ishan Kishan to represent Jharkhand in their final Ranji Trophy 2024 match.
“As of now, there have been no discussions about central contracts,” the senior BCCI official said.
In addition, the official revealed some information on Team India’s potential future plans for the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2024, revealing that the board has probably opted to send players to New York ahead of schedule if their franchise is unable to go past the IPL playoff stage. Following the conclusion of the 2024 Indian Premier League, the remaining players who are most likely to secure a berth in the Men in Blue squad will be sent. ICC, cricket’s highest governing body, has announced that it will host the T20 World Cup soon after India’s largest cricket festival.
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