Cricket is changing for good, or probably not. From considering Tests as THE format for a good hundred years to putting it in the category of something that is dying a slow death, cricket has evolved quite a lot in recent years. Many worldwide pundits, commentators and even analysts, alongside the decision-makers in the ICC and MCC, have tried to restore the game’s oldest format's pride, but none seemed to have cracked the code.

So, how does anyone get there?&nbsp;

Does playing more Tests, reducing the number, or hoping against hope that the T20 format doesn’t kill it completely, make any difference?&nbsp; 
 
Well, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has it seems found a solution, recommended by Men’s National Team chief selector Ajit Agarkar, called the "Test Cricket Incentive Scheme".

<h2>What happens under this scheme?</h2>

Following India’s famous win in the fifth and the final Test of the home series against England in Dharamsala on Saturday (March 9), Shah posted on his social media handle (X, previously known as Twitter) launching the new scheme that provides Test regulars, who will play more than 75% of the matches scheduled in a season, with a whopping incentive on their match fees.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-secretary-jay-shah-introduces-incentive-scheme-to-protect-and-promote-test-cricket-in-india-698339">BCCI secretary Jay Shah introduces ‘incentive scheme’ to protect and promote Test cricket in India</a>

Considering this scheme will come into effect retrospectively from the 2022-23 season, someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who played seven out of the nine matches that season (77.7%), will earn INR 45 lakhs per match in addition to his match fee of INR 15 lakhs per game, making it INR 60 lakhs per game. In his case, the sum amounts to INR 4.2 crore (including incentives), compared to INR 1.05 crore he would have earned as a reward for prioritising Test cricket.&nbsp;

The BCCI secretary revealed the purpose behind this, saying this "step aimed at providing financial growth and stability" to Test players.

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I am pleased to announce the initiation of the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' for Senior Men, a step aimed at providing financial growth and stability to our esteemed athletes. Commencing from the 2022-23 season, the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' will serve as an additional… <a href="https://t.co/Rf86sAnmuk">pic.twitter.com/Rf86sAnmuk</a>
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Meanwhile, under this scheme, all those players featuring in 50-75% of Tests in a season will earn INR 30 lakh per Test (outside of their match fees), while those who play less than 50% of the slated games will not be eligible for the benefits under the scheme. This incentive, however, isn't linked to BCCI's annual retainers, which is a separate component.

The BCCI, in a statement, said, "This scheme is not only designed to encourage players to engage in the purest format of the sport but also addresses the evolving dynamics of the cricketing landscape, ensuring parity with match fees in other formats and league cricket."

<h3>How can this change cricket’s dynamics in India first and then worldwide?</h3>

It is not a hidden fact that BCCI is perhaps the most powerful of all cricket boards for the revenue they generate (to pocket 38.5% of the money earned by the ICC), which is heads and shoulders ahead of the second-placed England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which will earn $41 million out of $600 million the ICC is set to make in the next financial cycle.

Now, with how BCCI influences boards on countless grounds, inspiring to save Tests being one of them, this initiative will bring wholesome changes to the mentality of the budding cricketers on making the right calls to prioritise playing Tests rather than running behind money by featuring in franchise-based T20 leagues worldwide.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/explained-where-england-lost-the-test-series-against-india-698591">Explained: Where England lost the Test series against India</a>

With the growing craze among youngsters to prefer the shorter formats, mainly to earn&nbsp;more money, the best players from outside of the Big 3 (India, Australia and England) are remaining unavailable for selection in the longest format, an example of which was the South African squad for the New Zealand tour, which had as many as seven debutants, since all first-team players preferred to playing SA20 – their newest franchise-based T20 tournament.

However, with this scheme coming into action, a sea of changes in the mindset is expected to take centrestage in India, and, who knows, if successful, other boards might follow the same path to ensure their best players are playing Tests, helping it to get back where it belonged.

<h4>What led to this scheme?</h4>

There is always something that leads to something revolutionary. From the Indian cricket perspective, the crucial case of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer led the BCCI’s decision-makers to launch this scheme.

Since Ishan and Iyer remained unavailable for selection for Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams for separate reasons despite being fit and away from international commitments, it irked the bosses, who warned them otherwise in a second warning.&nbsp;

For not abiding by the instructions laid by the BCCI for the second time, the Indian Cricket Board released both from the annual retainers’ central contract list, sending a strong message to everyone to play the red-ball tournament rather than prioritising IPL.&nbsp;

Ishan will feature for Mumbai Indians, while Iyer will captain Kolkata Knight Riders in the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League, starting March 22 in Chennai.&nbsp;

Cricket is changing for good, or probably not. From considering Tests as THE format for a good hundred years to putting it in the category of something that is dying a slow death, cricket has evolved quite a lot in recent years.

Cricket is changing for good, or probably not. From considering Tests as THE format for a good hundred years to putting it in the category of something that is dying a slow death, cricket has evolved quite a lot in recent years. Many worldwide pundits, commentators and even analysts, alongside the decision-makers in the ICC and MCC, have tried to restore the game’s oldest format's pride, but none seemed to have cracked the code. So, how does anyone get there? Does playing more Tests, reducing the number, or hoping against hope that the T20 format doesn’t kill it completely, make any difference? Well, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has it seems found a solution, recommended by Men’s National Team chief selector Ajit Agarkar, called the "Test Cricket Incentive Scheme". What happens under this scheme? Following India’s famous win in the fifth and the final Test of the home series against England in Dharamsala on Saturday (March 9), Shah posted on his social media handle (X, previously known as Twitter) launching the new scheme that provides Test regulars, who will play more than 75% of the matches scheduled in a season, with a whopping incentive on their match fees. ALSO READ: BCCI secretary Jay Shah introduces ‘incentive scheme’ to protect and promote Test cricket in India Considering this scheme will come into effect retrospectively from the 2022-23 season, someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who played seven out of the nine matches that season (77.7%), will earn INR 45 lakhs per match in addition to his match fee of INR 15 lakhs per game, making it INR 60 lakhs per game. In his case, the sum amounts to INR 4.2 crore (including incentives), compared to INR 1.05 crore he would have earned as a reward for prioritising Test cricket. The BCCI secretary revealed the purpose behind this, saying this "step aimed at providing financial growth and stability" to Test players. I am pleased to announce the initiation of the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' for Senior Men, a step aimed at providing financial growth and stability to our esteemed athletes. Commencing from the 2022-23 season, the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' will serve as an additional… pic.twitter.com/Rf86sAnmuk — Jay Shah (@JayShah) March 9, 2024 × Meanwhile, under this scheme, all those players featuring in 50-75% of Tests in a season will earn INR 30 lakh per Test (outside of their match fees), while those who play less than 50% of the slated games will not be eligible for the benefits under the scheme. This incentive, however, isn't linked to BCCI's annual retainers, which is a separate component. The BCCI, in a statement, said, "This scheme is not only designed to encourage players to engage in the purest format of the sport but also addresses the evolving dynamics of the cricketing landscape, ensuring parity with match fees in other formats and league cricket." How can this change cricket’s dynamics in India first and then worldwide? It is not a hidden fact that BCCI is perhaps the most powerful of all cricket boards for the revenue they generate (to pocket 38.5% of the money earned by the ICC), which is heads and shoulders ahead of the second-placed England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which will earn $41 million out of $600 million the ICC is set to make in the next financial cycle. Now, with how BCCI influences boards on countless grounds, inspiring to save Tests being one of them, this initiative will bring wholesome changes to the mentality of the budding cricketers on making the right calls to prioritise playing Tests rather than running behind money by featuring in franchise-based T20 leagues worldwide. ALSO READ: Explained: Where England lost the Test series against India With the growing craze among youngsters to prefer the shorter formats, mainly to earn more money, the best players from outside of the Big 3 (India, Australia and England) are remaining unavailable for selection in the longest format, an example of which was the South African squad for the New Zealand tour, which had as many as seven debutants, since all first-team players preferred to playing SA20 – their newest franchise-based T20 tournament. However, with this scheme coming into action, a sea of changes in the mindset is expected to take centrestage in India, and, who knows, if successful, other boards might follow the same path to ensure their best players are playing Tests, helping it to get back where it belonged. What led to this scheme? There is always something that leads to something revolutionary. From the Indian cricket perspective, the crucial case of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer led the BCCI’s decision-makers to launch this scheme. Since Ishan and Iyer remained unavailable for selection for Ranji Trophy matches for their respective teams for separate reasons despite being fit and away from international commitments, it irked the bosses, who warned them otherwise in a second warning. For not abiding by the instructions laid by the BCCI for the second time, the Indian Cricket Board released both from the annual retainers’ central contract list, sending a strong message to everyone to play the red-ball tournament rather than prioritising IPL. Ishan will feature for Mumbai Indians, while Iyer will captain Kolkata Knight Riders in the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League, starting March 22 in Chennai.

Explained – How BCCI’s new ‘incentive scheme’ initiative will change cricket dynamics in India

India have ascended to the top of ICC Team Rankings in all three formats after claiming the top spot in Test team rankings following their 4-1 series win against England on Saturday (Mar 9). India are also at the top of World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle standing with 74 points and a win percentage of 68.51.

India had lost the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs in the recently-concluded five-match series against England before winning the next four matches in a resounding manner.&nbsp;

The hosts won the second Test in Vizag by 106 runs before thrashing England by 434 runs in Rajkot Test and then took an unassailable 3-1 lead with a win in the fourth Test by five wickets in Ranchi. India then wrapped up the series by an innings and 64-run win in Dharamsala inside three days.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/we-need-to-relook-says-india-coach-rahul-dravid-on-domestic-schedule-698516">'We need to relook,' says India coach Rahul Dravid on domestic schedule</a>

India currently have 122 points in Test team ranking, five more than second-placed Australia. Notably, the Aussies are playing a two-Test series in New Zealand and lead it 1-0 after winning the first Test by 172 runs. The Baggy Green, however, won't be able to replace India even if they win the second Test, currently going on in Christchurch.

India were at the top of Test team rankings in December 2023 as well. A drawn two-Test series (1-1) against South Africa in December last year and Australia whitewashing Pakistan 3-2 in January 2024, however, saw India coming down to the second spot for a brief amount of time.

In other formats, India have 121 points and the top spot in the ODI team rankings as well. Australia, the 2023 ODI World Champions, are behind them here as well with 118 points to their name.&nbsp;

In T20I team rankings, India have 266 points at the top spot while England sit behind them on the second spot with 256 points.

India have ascended to the top of ICC Team Rankings in all three formats after claiming the top spot in Test team rankings following their 4-1 series win against England on Saturday (Mar 9).

India have ascended to the top of ICC Team Rankings in all three formats after claiming the top spot in Test team rankings following their 4-1 series win against England on Saturday (Mar 9). India are also at the top of World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle standing with 74 points and a win percentage of 68.51. India had lost the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs in the recently-concluded five-match series against England before winning the next four matches in a resounding manner. The hosts won the second Test in Vizag by 106 runs before thrashing England by 434 runs in Rajkot Test and then took an unassailable 3-1 lead with a win in the fourth Test by five wickets in Ranchi. India then wrapped up the series by an innings and 64-run win in Dharamsala inside three days. Also Read: 'We need to relook,' says India coach Rahul Dravid on domestic schedule India currently have 122 points in Test team ranking, five more than second-placed Australia. Notably, the Aussies are playing a two-Test series in New Zealand and lead it 1-0 after winning the first Test by 172 runs. The Baggy Green, however, won't be able to replace India even if they win the second Test, currently going on in Christchurch. India were at the top of Test team rankings in December 2023 as well. A drawn two-Test series (1-1) against South Africa in December last year and Australia whitewashing Pakistan 3-2 in January 2024, however, saw India coming down to the second spot for a brief amount of time. In other formats, India have 121 points and the top spot in the ODI team rankings as well. Australia, the 2023 ODI World Champions, are behind them here as well with 118 points to their name. In T20I team rankings, India have 266 points at the top spot while England sit behind them on the second spot with 256 points.

India on top of ICC Team Rankings in all three formats after Test series win against England

India coach Rahul Dravid has called for hearing players about tough domestic schedule and has asked for a review about the same. Dravid made the comments after India wrapped up the five-match Test series against England with a 4-1 win in Dharamsala on Saturday (Mar 9). Notably, India all-rounder Shardul Thakur had raised the issue of three-day gaps between the games in the ongoing Ranji Trophy (India's premier domestic tournament) after winning the semi-final for Mumbai.

"I saw some of the comments Shardul [Thakur], I think, made and, in fact, some of the [new] boys who've come into the team [have said it] as well," said Dravid after&nbsp;India beat England by an innings and 64 runs in Dharamsala Test.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mega-auctions-to-be-scrapped-ipl-chairman-arun-dhumal-provides-update-698473">Mega auctions to be scrapped? IPL chairman Arun Dhumal provides update</a>

"Some comment about how tough the domestic schedule is, especially in a country like India with the amount of travel involved. So yeah, we need to hear the players. That's a very important thing in a lot of these things.

"You need to hear your players because they are the ones going through the grind and putting their bodies on the line; and if there are enough voices saying that, then yeah, I think there's some need to look at it, and see how we can manage our schedules. It's a long season already in India. It's tough," added Dravid.

He also said that there's need to review&nbsp;some domestic tournaments&nbsp;and that players should also be involved in the discussion for the same.

"Maybe we need to relook and see whether some of the tournaments that we are conducting are necessary in this day and age or they are not necessary. There needs to be an all-round review [involving] coaches and players, especially the guys who are part of the domestic circuit," said the India coach.

After the Ranji Trophy final, which started Sunday (Mar 10) between Vidarbha and Mumbai, the premier T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL) will begin from March 22.

India coach Rahul Dravid has called for hearing players about tough domestic schedule and has asked for a review about the same. Dravid made the comments after India wrapped up the five-match Test series against England with a 4-1 win in Dharamsala on Saturday (Mar 9).

India coach Rahul Dravid has called for hearing players about tough domestic schedule and has asked for a review about the same. Dravid made the comments after India wrapped up the five-match Test series against England with a 4-1 win in Dharamsala on Saturday (Mar 9). Notably, India all-rounder Shardul Thakur had raised the issue of three-day gaps between the games in the ongoing Ranji Trophy (India's premier domestic tournament) after winning the semi-final for Mumbai. "I saw some of the comments Shardul [Thakur], I think, made and, in fact, some of the [new] boys who've come into the team [have said it] as well," said Dravid after India beat England by an innings and 64 runs in Dharamsala Test. Also Read: Mega auctions to be scrapped? IPL chairman Arun Dhumal provides update "Some comment about how tough the domestic schedule is, especially in a country like India with the amount of travel involved. So yeah, we need to hear the players. That's a very important thing in a lot of these things. "You need to hear your players because they are the ones going through the grind and putting their bodies on the line; and if there are enough voices saying that, then yeah, I think there's some need to look at it, and see how we can manage our schedules. It's a long season already in India. It's tough," added Dravid. He also said that there's need to review some domestic tournaments and that players should also be involved in the discussion for the same. "Maybe we need to relook and see whether some of the tournaments that we are conducting are necessary in this day and age or they are not necessary. There needs to be an all-round review [involving] coaches and players, especially the guys who are part of the domestic circuit," said the India coach. After the Ranji Trophy final, which started Sunday (Mar 10) between Vidarbha and Mumbai, the premier T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL) will begin from March 22.

'We need to relook,' says India coach Rahul Dravid on domestic schedule

The BCCI might have left out the batting duo of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the central contract list for this season, but head coach Rahul Dravid feels they must put this behind them and train harder, score runs in the domestic and come back to wear the blue jersey again.&nbsp;

After India completed a 4-1 series win over England with an innings and 64 run victory in the final Test in Dharamsala on Saturday (March 9), Dravid addressed the elephant in the room and shared his thoughts on the star duo.

While Ishan asked to remain unavailable for selection following South Africa ODIs late last year, citing personal reasons, Iyer complained of back spasms after being left out of India’s squad for the final three Tests (vs England) despite the doctors at the NCA clearing him of any injury issue.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-secretary-jay-shah-introduces-incentive-scheme-to-protect-and-promote-test-cricket-in-india-698339">BCCI secretary Jay Shah introduces ‘incentive scheme’ to protect and promote Test cricket in India</a>

The Indian board had earlier issued a directive asking the centrally contracted players, who are neither picked in any India squad nor are getting treated at the NCA for any injury, to appear for their respective Ranji teams, pointing fingers at Iyer and Ishan.&nbsp;

After both didn’t abide by the instructions laid by the BCCI, the board sent another warning to the duo; even when both remained unavailable for selection after that, the cricket board took stern action against them by not retaining them in their central contract list for 2023-2024 season.

However, Ishan trained with his IPL team captain, Hardik Pandya, in Baroda, and Iyer made himself available for selection for Mumbai’s semi-final match in the Ranji Trophy.

<h2>‘Everyone playing domestic remains in the mix’</h2>

While addressing this issue, Dravid said both will remain in contention for selection, adding everyone playing domestic cricket will stay afloat in the mix for India call-up.&nbsp;

"They're always in the mix," Dravid said after India's 4-1 series win over England in Dharmsala on Saturday.&nbsp;

"Everyone who's playing domestic cricket is in the mix. Firstly, I don't decide contracts, right? Contracts are decided by the selectors and the board. I don't even know what the criteria are. I'm involved in - people ask me my opinion on the 15, and me and Rohit select the XI. That's how it works,” the head coach added.&nbsp;

Clearing the air on what happens behind the scenes while picking a squad for a series, Dravid said,&nbsp;"We've never discussed whether somebody has a contract or not, whether he's going to be selected in the 15. There are enough examples of people playing different formats of the game, whether they have contracts or not."

"I don't even know sometimes what the list of the contracted players is when we take these decisions, discussions on the 15 or the playing 11 for that matter. No one's out of the picture, no one's out of the mix, it's just a question of hopefully them getting back and fit, playing cricket, and forcing the selectors to pick them again,” he added.

The BCCI might have left out the batting duo of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the central contract list for this season, but head coach Rahul Dravid feels they must put this behind them and train harder, score runs in the domestic and come back to wear the blue jersey again.

The BCCI might have left out the batting duo of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the central contract list for this season, but head coach Rahul Dravid feels they must put this behind them and train harder, score runs in the domestic and come back to wear the blue jersey again. After India completed a 4-1 series win over England with an innings and 64 run victory in the final Test in Dharamsala on Saturday (March 9), Dravid addressed the elephant in the room and shared his thoughts on the star duo. While Ishan asked to remain unavailable for selection following South Africa ODIs late last year, citing personal reasons, Iyer complained of back spasms after being left out of India’s squad for the final three Tests (vs England) despite the doctors at the NCA clearing him of any injury issue. ALSO READ: BCCI secretary Jay Shah introduces ‘incentive scheme’ to protect and promote Test cricket in India The Indian board had earlier issued a directive asking the centrally contracted players, who are neither picked in any India squad nor are getting treated at the NCA for any injury, to appear for their respective Ranji teams, pointing fingers at Iyer and Ishan. After both didn’t abide by the instructions laid by the BCCI, the board sent another warning to the duo; even when both remained unavailable for selection after that, the cricket board took stern action against them by not retaining them in their central contract list for 2023-2024 season. However, Ishan trained with his IPL team captain, Hardik Pandya, in Baroda, and Iyer made himself available for selection for Mumbai’s semi-final match in the Ranji Trophy. ‘Everyone playing domestic remains in the mix’ While addressing this issue, Dravid said both will remain in contention for selection, adding everyone playing domestic cricket will stay afloat in the mix for India call-up. "They're always in the mix," Dravid said after India's 4-1 series win over England in Dharmsala on Saturday. "Everyone who's playing domestic cricket is in the mix. Firstly, I don't decide contracts, right? Contracts are decided by the selectors and the board. I don't even know what the criteria are. I'm involved in - people ask me my opinion on the 15, and me and Rohit select the XI. That's how it works,” the head coach added. Clearing the air on what happens behind the scenes while picking a squad for a series, Dravid said, "We've never discussed whether somebody has a contract or not, whether he's going to be selected in the 15. There are enough examples of people playing different formats of the game, whether they have contracts or not." "I don't even know sometimes what the list of the contracted players is when we take these decisions, discussions on the 15 or the playing 11 for that matter. No one's out of the picture, no one's out of the mix, it's just a question of hopefully them getting back and fit, playing cricket, and forcing the selectors to pick them again,” he added.

India coach Rahul Dravid breaks silence on Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan’s future after contract snub

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has introduced a new incentive scheme to reward cricketers who will prioritise playing Test cricket. As per the new scheme, if a cricketer plays more than 75% of Test matches in a season, he shall be rewarded with an increment of 300% in his overall match fees.

According to&nbsp;reports, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel had recommended this incentive scheme to encourage cricketers to give importance to first-class cricket.&nbsp;

The BCCI secretary posted an image on his social media handle X, previously known as Twitter, citing an example of how this scheme will work and under what circumstances the players will receive the incentive.&nbsp;

Shah shared that the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' for the senior men's team&nbsp;will give players extra incentive other than the usual match fees for&nbsp;taking part in the longest format of the game.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-eng-ravi-ashwin-reflects-on-monumental-test-series-win-over-england-picks-his-best-performance-698325">IND v ENG: Ravi Ashwin reflects on monumental Test series win over England, picks his best performance</a>

As this new scheme is backdated to include the 2022-23 season, someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who played seven of the nine contested matches (77.7%) that season, will earn INR 45 lakh per Test in addition to his match fee of INR 15 lakh per Test. For prioritising Test cricket, the BCCI will reward Pujara with a total sum of INR 4.2 crores (including incentives), as against INR 1.05 crores, which he previously earned in one season.

“I am pleased to announce the initiation of the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' for Senior Men, a step aimed at providing financial growth and stability to our esteemed athletes. Commencing from the 2022-23 season, the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' will serve as an additional reward structure on top of the existing match fee for Test matches, set at INR 15 lakhs,” Jay Shah wrote in a post on X.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I am pleased to announce the initiation of the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' for Senior Men, a step aimed at providing financial growth and stability to our esteemed athletes. Commencing from the 2022-23 season, the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' will serve as an additional… <a href="https://t.co/Rf86sAnmuk">pic.twitter.com/Rf86sAnmuk</a>
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayShah/status/1766384105908826560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Under the scheme, the players featuring in 50-65% of Tests in a season will earn INR 30 lakhs per Test, besides their match fees, while those who will appear in less than 50% of the matches scheduled in a season will not be eligible for the extra money.

<h2>Time to choose Test over shorter formats</h2>

This scheme has come into action after the Indian board took action against two top stars – Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, for ignoring playing Ranji Trophy despite directives from the BCCI.&nbsp;

Following BCCI’s second warning to all centrally contracted players who are neither picked for any squad nor getting treated at the NCA for any injury, which included Ishan and Iyer, the board left them out of the central contract list for the upcoming season, punishing them for not abiding by the board’s instructions.

However, with this scheme taking centre stage, several players will be keen on pushing to play for India in the longest format as against choosing to play franchise-based T20 Leagues for extra money.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has introduced a new incentive scheme to reward cricketers who will prioritise playing Test cricket.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has introduced a new incentive scheme to reward cricketers who will prioritise playing Test cricket. As per the new scheme, if a cricketer plays more than 75% of Test matches in a season, he shall be rewarded with an increment of 300% in his overall match fees. According to reports, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel had recommended this incentive scheme to encourage cricketers to give importance to first-class cricket. The BCCI secretary posted an image on his social media handle X, previously known as Twitter, citing an example of how this scheme will work and under what circumstances the players will receive the incentive. Shah shared that the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' for the senior men's team will give players extra incentive other than the usual match fees for taking part in the longest format of the game. ALSO READ: IND v ENG: Ravi Ashwin reflects on monumental Test series win over England, picks his best performance As this new scheme is backdated to include the 2022-23 season, someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who played seven of the nine contested matches (77.7%) that season, will earn INR 45 lakh per Test in addition to his match fee of INR 15 lakh per Test. For prioritising Test cricket, the BCCI will reward Pujara with a total sum of INR 4.2 crores (including incentives), as against INR 1.05 crores, which he previously earned in one season. “I am pleased to announce the initiation of the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' for Senior Men, a step aimed at providing financial growth and stability to our esteemed athletes. Commencing from the 2022-23 season, the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' will serve as an additional reward structure on top of the existing match fee for Test matches, set at INR 15 lakhs,” Jay Shah wrote in a post on X. I am pleased to announce the initiation of the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' for Senior Men, a step aimed at providing financial growth and stability to our esteemed athletes. Commencing from the 2022-23 season, the 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' will serve as an additional… pic.twitter.com/Rf86sAnmuk — Jay Shah (@JayShah) March 9, 2024 × Under the scheme, the players featuring in 50-65% of Tests in a season will earn INR 30 lakhs per Test, besides their match fees, while those who will appear in less than 50% of the matches scheduled in a season will not be eligible for the extra money. Time to choose Test over shorter formats This scheme has come into action after the Indian board took action against two top stars – Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, for ignoring playing Ranji Trophy despite directives from the BCCI. Following BCCI’s second warning to all centrally contracted players who are neither picked for any squad nor getting treated at the NCA for any injury, which included Ishan and Iyer, the board left them out of the central contract list for the upcoming season, punishing them for not abiding by the board’s instructions. However, with this scheme taking centre stage, several players will be keen on pushing to play for India in the longest format as against choosing to play franchise-based T20 Leagues for extra money.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah introduces ‘incentive scheme’ to protect and promote Test cricket in India

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur has called for more breaks between the games in the premier domestic first-class tournament Ranji Trophy. Thakur made the comments after rescuing his Ranji side Mumbai with a century in the semi-final against Tamil Nadu on Sunday (March 3).&nbsp;

"If boys keep playing like this for two more seasons, there will be a lot of injuries across the country," Thakur said after coming in to bat with Mumbai at 106/6 and scoring 109 to take his side to 290 by the time he became the ninth wicket to fall. Thanks to Thakur's maiden first-class hundred, Mumbai were 144 runs ahead of Tamil Nadu's 146 by the time he went back to the dressing room. &nbsp;

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"Next year, they [the BCCI] have to re-look at it, and give more [of a] break. When I remember playing Ranji Trophy back in the day, good seven to eight years back, [the] first three games used to have [a] three-day break, and then it was [a] four-day break, and knockouts were played [with] five-day breaks," he added.

Tamil Nadu skipper R Sai Kishore, who had &nbsp;Mumbai on the rails with a five-for ahead of Thakur's sensational counter-attack, also echoed the same views.

"A few players feel the same thing," said Sai Kishore. "Fast bowlers are extra tired because you travel on one day. For me, I don't train much because of the three-day thing. I bowl directly match-to-match, so the load on my body is fine. I don't strain myself in training pre-match. I am managing myself that way, but it should be harder for the fast bowlers," he added.

As for the match, Mumbai's last wicket pair of Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande increased Tamil Nadu's worries by adding 63 unbeaten runs. At the end of day 2's (March 3) play, Mumbai were 353/9, having taken a substantial lead of 207 runs in the first innings.

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur has called for more breaks between the games in the premier domestic first-class tournament Ranji Trophy. Thakur made the comments after rescuing his Ranji side Mumbai with a century in the semi-final against Tamil Nadu on Sunday (March 3).

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur has called for more breaks between the games in the premier domestic first-class tournament Ranji Trophy. Thakur made the comments after rescuing his Ranji side Mumbai with a century in the semi-final against Tamil Nadu on Sunday (March 3). "If boys keep playing like this for two more seasons, there will be a lot of injuries across the country," Thakur said after coming in to bat with Mumbai at 106/6 and scoring 109 to take his side to 290 by the time he became the ninth wicket to fall. Thanks to Thakur's maiden first-class hundred, Mumbai were 144 runs ahead of Tamil Nadu's 146 by the time he went back to the dressing room. Also Read: PSL franchise owner calls out Pakistan Cricket over 'humiliating' pacer Haris Rauf "Next year, they [the BCCI] have to re-look at it, and give more [of a] break. When I remember playing Ranji Trophy back in the day, good seven to eight years back, [the] first three games used to have [a] three-day break, and then it was [a] four-day break, and knockouts were played [with] five-day breaks," he added. Tamil Nadu skipper R Sai Kishore, who had Mumbai on the rails with a five-for ahead of Thakur's sensational counter-attack, also echoed the same views. "A few players feel the same thing," said Sai Kishore. "Fast bowlers are extra tired because you travel on one day. For me, I don't train much because of the three-day thing. I bowl directly match-to-match, so the load on my body is fine. I don't strain myself in training pre-match. I am managing myself that way, but it should be harder for the fast bowlers," he added. As for the match, Mumbai's last wicket pair of Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande increased Tamil Nadu's worries by adding 63 unbeaten runs. At the end of day 2's (March 3) play, Mumbai were 353/9, having taken a substantial lead of 207 runs in the first innings.

'There will be a lot of injuries', warns India all-rounder Shardul Thakur about crammed domestic schedule

India keeper-batter Ishan Kishan has reportedly rejected BCCI’s offer of making a comeback during the ongoing England Tests, saying he is not ‘ready yet’. Amidst the backlash Ishan and Shreyas Iyer received following declining to appear for their respective state sides in the Ranji Trophy, the BCCI released them from the latest list of centrally contracted players.

The latest reports suggested that the BCCI approached Kishan, but the emerging star refused. Instead, he opted to train separately, with several reports suggesting he trained with India all-rounder Hardik Pandya in Baroda.

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"ESPNcricinfo understands the team management had got in touch with him (Kishan) during the ongoing Test series against England, but Kishan said he was not ready yet," read the report on the cricket website.

Following the South Africa ODIs late last year, Ishan informed BCCI of its decision to remain unavailable for selection, citing mental fatigue. Besides, the BCCI left Shreyas Iyer out from India’s Test squad for the last three matches with persisting groin and back injury.

The BCCI, soon after, released a mandate asking both the players to make themselves available for their Ranji Trophy teams. Since none appeared to abide by it in the first place, the Indian Cricket Board issued a second warning, this time with clear instructions of them serving serious repercussions in case of repeated fouls.

Ishan then appeared in a local tournament - the DY Patil T20 Cup, with Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav playing it. Iyer got named in the Mumbai squad for their semi-final clash against Tamil Nadu.

<h2>Ishan was to replace KS Bharat in XI</h2>

Keeper-batter KS Bharat was out of touch in the first two matches, failing with the bat in hand. The selectors were keen on replacing him with Ishan Kishan in the playing XI for the remaining games, but with Ishan refusing to accept the offer, the management went ahead with youngster Dhurv Jurel. 
 
Jurel shined on his first two outings, helping India win the fourth Test, scoring match-winning 90 and 32* in the two&nbsp;innings, respectively.

However, considering the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA in June, with Rishabh Pant nearing full fitness, Ishan might have missed the chance of getting picked for the marquee event.

Meanwhile, Ishan and Iyer will be seen playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ishan will play for Mumbai Indians, while Iyer will captain Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).&nbsp;

India keeper-batter Ishan Kishan has reportedly rejected BCCI’s offer of making a comeback during the ongoing England Tests, saying he is not ‘ready yet’. Amidst the backlash Ishan and Shreyas Iyer received following declining to appear for their respective state sides in the Ranji Trophy, the BCCI released them from the latest list of centrally contracted players.

India keeper-batter Ishan Kishan has reportedly rejected BCCI’s offer of making a comeback during the ongoing England Tests, saying he is not ‘ready yet’. Amidst the backlash Ishan and Shreyas Iyer received following declining to appear for their respective state sides in the Ranji Trophy, the BCCI released them from the latest list of centrally contracted players. The latest reports suggested that the BCCI approached Kishan, but the emerging star refused. Instead, he opted to train separately, with several reports suggesting he trained with India all-rounder Hardik Pandya in Baroda. ALSO READ: Usman Khawaja forced to remove ‘banned’ dove logo from bat during day 3 of Wellington Test "ESPNcricinfo understands the team management had got in touch with him (Kishan) during the ongoing Test series against England, but Kishan said he was not ready yet," read the report on the cricket website. Following the South Africa ODIs late last year, Ishan informed BCCI of its decision to remain unavailable for selection, citing mental fatigue. Besides, the BCCI left Shreyas Iyer out from India’s Test squad for the last three matches with persisting groin and back injury. The BCCI, soon after, released a mandate asking both the players to make themselves available for their Ranji Trophy teams. Since none appeared to abide by it in the first place, the Indian Cricket Board issued a second warning, this time with clear instructions of them serving serious repercussions in case of repeated fouls. Ishan then appeared in a local tournament - the DY Patil T20 Cup, with Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav playing it. Iyer got named in the Mumbai squad for their semi-final clash against Tamil Nadu. Ishan was to replace KS Bharat in XI Keeper-batter KS Bharat was out of touch in the first two matches, failing with the bat in hand. The selectors were keen on replacing him with Ishan Kishan in the playing XI for the remaining games, but with Ishan refusing to accept the offer, the management went ahead with youngster Dhurv Jurel. Jurel shined on his first two outings, helping India win the fourth Test, scoring match-winning 90 and 32* in the two innings, respectively. However, considering the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA in June, with Rishabh Pant nearing full fitness, Ishan might have missed the chance of getting picked for the marquee event. Meanwhile, Ishan and Iyer will be seen playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ishan will play for Mumbai Indians, while Iyer will captain Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Ishan Kishan rejected BCCI’s offer to play in England Tests – Reports

It has been a topsy-turvy couple of days for the Indian duo of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer after they were snubbed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). On Wednesday (Feb 28), the BCCI announced its list for central contracts with both Ishan and Shreyas missing out on the annual deal. While their exclusion was based on their poor attitudes of not representing their domestic sides in favour of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a source close to the BCCI has said&nbsp;they could still land a central contract and a place in the national team.

<h2>Ishan, Shreyas could still earn a contract</h2>

"The selectors don't doubt their ability," a BCCI official told ESPNcricinfo. "But if the NCA is saying you are fit and you are not making yourself available for the Test series, how can the BCCI offer you a contract?

"After the IPL, if they happen to get selected and fulfill the criteria of the number of matches required for a pro-rata contract, they will be awarded a contract."

According to the announcement made on Wednesday, a player could yet earn a deal if he fulfills the criteria to earn a pro-rata contract. However, it also confirms that the duo would not get a contract at least until the T20 World Cup, if the BCCI decides otherwise.

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<h2>What prompted BCCI to take action?</h2>

Ishan during the South Africa tour opted to miss the Test series having been down the pecking order in the Playing XI and was reportedly spotted in UAE at a party. He would later miss matches for his domestic side Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy despite being passed fit. His desire to focus on the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) and not show up for domestic duties did not go well with the BCCI which prompted the action.

For Shreyas, he was part of the Indian team for the opening two Test matches against England but complained of back spasms. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) declared Shreyas fit, but he too like Ishan refrained from representing Mumbai or India.

It has been a topsy-turvy couple of days for the Indian duo of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer after they were snubbed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

It has been a topsy-turvy couple of days for the Indian duo of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer after they were snubbed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). On Wednesday (Feb 28), the BCCI announced its list for central contracts with both Ishan and Shreyas missing out on the annual deal. While their exclusion was based on their poor attitudes of not representing their domestic sides in favour of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a source close to the BCCI has said they could still land a central contract and a place in the national team. Ishan, Shreyas could still earn a contract "The selectors don't doubt their ability," a BCCI official told ESPNcricinfo. "But if the NCA is saying you are fit and you are not making yourself available for the Test series, how can the BCCI offer you a contract? "After the IPL, if they happen to get selected and fulfill the criteria of the number of matches required for a pro-rata contract, they will be awarded a contract." According to the announcement made on Wednesday, a player could yet earn a deal if he fulfills the criteria to earn a pro-rata contract. However, it also confirms that the duo would not get a contract at least until the T20 World Cup, if the BCCI decides otherwise. ALSO READ | 'I congratulate the BCCI': Kapil Dev praises national board for safeguarding domestic cricket What prompted BCCI to take action? Ishan during the South Africa tour opted to miss the Test series having been down the pecking order in the Playing XI and was reportedly spotted in UAE at a party. He would later miss matches for his domestic side Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy despite being passed fit. His desire to focus on the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) and not show up for domestic duties did not go well with the BCCI which prompted the action. For Shreyas, he was part of the Indian team for the opening two Test matches against England but complained of back spasms. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) declared Shreyas fit, but he too like Ishan refrained from representing Mumbai or India.

Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan likely to get contracts on THIS condition, says BCCI source

India’s former World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev praised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for its actions to safeguard domestic cricket on Friday (Mar 1). According to the legendary player, the decision by the BCCI to mandate players to play in domestic cricket will only protect the sport. The BCCI recently announced the contracts for national team players with Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer missing out on having opted to stay away from domestic cricket despite being available.

<h2>Kapil Dev lauds BCCI</h2>

“I congratulate the BCCI for taking the much-needed step to protect the status of domestic cricket. I was sad to see domestic cricket being given the skip by players once they had established themselves in international cricket. It was high time the message was given and this strong step by the BCCI will go a long way in restoring the prestige of domestic cricket,” Dev said while speaking to news agency PTI.

“I have always believed in the process of international players making themselves available to play for their respective states. It helps them extend their support to domestic players. Also it is a nice way to pay back for the services rendered by the state association in grooming a player,” he added.

The BCCI on Wednesday made a bold statement by excluding both Ishan and Shreyas from the central contracts despite them being part of the World Cup squad as recently as November. However, both opting to stay away from national as well as domestic duties prompted BCCI to take strict action. According to the new mandate players contracted to BCCI will have to serve for the national side when called up or represent their domestic sides.

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<h2>What prompted BCCI to take action?</h2>

Ishan during the South Africa tour opted to miss the Test series having been down the pecking order in the Playing XI and was reportedly spotted in UAE at a party. He&nbsp;later missed matches for his domestic side Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy despite being passed fit. His desire to focus on the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) and not show up for domestic duties did not augur well with the BCCI.

For Shreyas, he was part of the Indian team for the opening two Test matches against England but complained of back spasms. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) declared Shreyas fit, but he too like Ishan refrained from representing Mumbai or India.

It will be interesting to see how the players act with the eyes now on the T20 World Cup squad with Ishan being one of the first names on the team sheet. The BCCI will likely announce the World Cup squad in the second week of May with IPL in the focus.&nbsp;

India’s former World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev praised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for its actions to safeguard domestic cricket on Friday (Mar 1).

India’s former World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev praised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for its actions to safeguard domestic cricket on Friday (Mar 1). According to the legendary player, the decision by the BCCI to mandate players to play in domestic cricket will only protect the sport. The BCCI recently announced the contracts for national team players with Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer missing out on having opted to stay away from domestic cricket despite being available. Kapil Dev lauds BCCI “I congratulate the BCCI for taking the much-needed step to protect the status of domestic cricket. I was sad to see domestic cricket being given the skip by players once they had established themselves in international cricket. It was high time the message was given and this strong step by the BCCI will go a long way in restoring the prestige of domestic cricket,” Dev said while speaking to news agency PTI. “I have always believed in the process of international players making themselves available to play for their respective states. It helps them extend their support to domestic players. Also it is a nice way to pay back for the services rendered by the state association in grooming a player,” he added. The BCCI on Wednesday made a bold statement by excluding both Ishan and Shreyas from the central contracts despite them being part of the World Cup squad as recently as November. However, both opting to stay away from national as well as domestic duties prompted BCCI to take strict action. According to the new mandate players contracted to BCCI will have to serve for the national side when called up or represent their domestic sides. ALSO READ | IND vs ENG: Dhruv Jurel can reach the standards of MS Dhoni - Former spinner Anil Kumble's BIG claim What prompted BCCI to take action? Ishan during the South Africa tour opted to miss the Test series having been down the pecking order in the Playing XI and was reportedly spotted in UAE at a party. He later missed matches for his domestic side Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy despite being passed fit. His desire to focus on the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) and not show up for domestic duties did not augur well with the BCCI. For Shreyas, he was part of the Indian team for the opening two Test matches against England but complained of back spasms. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) declared Shreyas fit, but he too like Ishan refrained from representing Mumbai or India. It will be interesting to see how the players act with the eyes now on the T20 World Cup squad with Ishan being one of the first names on the team sheet. The BCCI will likely announce the World Cup squad in the second week of May with IPL in the focus.

'I congratulate the BCCI': Kapil Dev praises national board for safeguarding domestic cricket

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is bringing domestic women's cricket back after four years. The board will be conducting&nbsp;an Inter Zonal multi-day trophy from March 28 in Pune, informed the board on Friday (March 1). This comes after India women played Tests against England and Australia recently.&nbsp;

“It is a welcome step taken by BCCI. The national team has started playing Test cricket again and we need the next generation of cricketers to play red ball cricket at the domestic level,” former India pacer Amita Sharma told new agency PTI.

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“I would also want red ball to be played at the state level and not just zonal level. Back in the day we had both those events,” she added.

The tournament will feature teams from six zones, that is: East, West, North, South, Central and North East. The teams will be competing in five matches of three days each. The tournament semifinals are scheduled on April 3 with final to be played on April 9.

Currently, the women cricketers are playing the second season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) - the domestic T20 tournament on the lines of Indian Premier League (IPL). The five teams playing in the WPL are Royal&nbsp;Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriroz.

As of now, seven matches have been played in the ongoing 2024 WPL season with each team having played three games except Giants who have played two games so far. Delhi Capitals are on the top with four points in three games with two wins and one loss.&nbsp;

Second and third on the list are Bangalore and Mumbai with same wins as Delhi but with lower net run rate then Delhi. Last two on the list are UP Warriorz and Gujarat at fourth and fifth place, respectively.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is bringing domestic women's cricket back after four years. The board will be conducting an Inter Zonal multi-day trophy from March 28 in Pune, informed the board on Friday (March 1).

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is bringing domestic women's cricket back after four years. The board will be conducting an Inter Zonal multi-day trophy from March 28 in Pune, informed the board on Friday (March 1). This comes after India women played Tests against England and Australia recently. “It is a welcome step taken by BCCI. The national team has started playing Test cricket again and we need the next generation of cricketers to play red ball cricket at the domestic level,” former India pacer Amita Sharma told new agency PTI. Also Read: NZ vs Aus, 1st Test: Nathan Lyon overtakes Courtney Walsh to become 7th-highest wicket-taker “I would also want red ball to be played at the state level and not just zonal level. Back in the day we had both those events,” she added. The tournament will feature teams from six zones, that is: East, West, North, South, Central and North East. The teams will be competing in five matches of three days each. The tournament semifinals are scheduled on April 3 with final to be played on April 9. Currently, the women cricketers are playing the second season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) - the domestic T20 tournament on the lines of Indian Premier League (IPL). The five teams playing in the WPL are Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriroz. As of now, seven matches have been played in the ongoing 2024 WPL season with each team having played three games except Giants who have played two games so far. Delhi Capitals are on the top with four points in three games with two wins and one loss. Second and third on the list are Bangalore and Mumbai with same wins as Delhi but with lower net run rate then Delhi. Last two on the list are UP Warriorz and Gujarat at fourth and fifth place, respectively.

BCCI announces multi-day tournament for women cricketers from March 28

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors were not happy with Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan making themselves unavailable for selection and hence were dropped from the list of centrally contracted players. Both Iyer and Kishan were not named in the list of 30 players who received the board's central contract on Wednesday (Feb 28). The board, in a statement, also advised the newly contracted players to participate in domestic games when not on national duty.

"The BCCI has recommended that all athletes give precedence to participating in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team," read the BCCI statement.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bcci-drops-shreyas-iyer-and-ishan-kishan-from-central-contract-check-full-list-of-players-inside-694796">BCCI drops Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from central contract. Check full list of players</a>

Notably, Kishan has been on personal time off since India's tour of South Africa in December 2023 and hasn't played in domestic first-class tournament Ranji trophy. He, however, has been practicing with Hardik Pandya for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Both Pandya and Kishan play for Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

Iyer, on the other hand, most recently played for India in the first two Tests of the ongoing five-match series against England. The batter was reported to have complained about playing long innings and was dropped from the squad of the next three Tests. Iyer, although, did not appear for his Ranji side Mumbai but went to his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders' pre-season training camp.

He had opted out of Mumbai's last Ranji fixture due to back spasms but the National Cricket Academy (NCA) had cleared him of any injury. The batter, however, will be playing Mumbai's upcoming Ranji trophy semi-final game.

Speaking to ESPNCricinfo on axing Iyer and Kishan, a BCCI source said: "The selectors don't doubt their ability. But if the NCA is saying you are fit and you are not making yourself available for the Test series, how can the BCCI offer you a contract?

"After the IPL, if they happen to get selected and fulfil the criteria of the number of matches required for a pro-rata contract, they will be awarded a contract," added the source.

Apart from the 30 centrally contracted players divided into four grades, namely: A-plus, A, B and C, five pacers namely Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal and Vidwath Kaverappa have been recommended for a fast bowling contract.

The board also said that in its release that the players who fulfill a minimum criteria of playing 3 Tests or 8 ODIs or 10 T20Is in the specified time period will automatically be included in the Grade C list on pro-rata basis.&nbsp;

It means that Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan will be eligible for the BCCI Grade C contract if they make it to the playing XI of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala which starts on March 7. Both the players have already featured in the two Tests of the ongoing series.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors were not happy with Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan making themselves unavailable for selection and hence were dropped from the list of centrally contracted players.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors were not happy with Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan making themselves unavailable for selection and hence were dropped from the list of centrally contracted players. Both Iyer and Kishan were not named in the list of 30 players who received the board's central contract on Wednesday (Feb 28). The board, in a statement, also advised the newly contracted players to participate in domestic games when not on national duty. "The BCCI has recommended that all athletes give precedence to participating in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team," read the BCCI statement. Also Read: BCCI drops Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from central contract. Check full list of players Notably, Kishan has been on personal time off since India's tour of South Africa in December 2023 and hasn't played in domestic first-class tournament Ranji trophy. He, however, has been practicing with Hardik Pandya for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Both Pandya and Kishan play for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Iyer, on the other hand, most recently played for India in the first two Tests of the ongoing five-match series against England. The batter was reported to have complained about playing long innings and was dropped from the squad of the next three Tests. Iyer, although, did not appear for his Ranji side Mumbai but went to his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders' pre-season training camp. He had opted out of Mumbai's last Ranji fixture due to back spasms but the National Cricket Academy (NCA) had cleared him of any injury. The batter, however, will be playing Mumbai's upcoming Ranji trophy semi-final game. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo on axing Iyer and Kishan, a BCCI source said: "The selectors don't doubt their ability. But if the NCA is saying you are fit and you are not making yourself available for the Test series, how can the BCCI offer you a contract? "After the IPL, if they happen to get selected and fulfil the criteria of the number of matches required for a pro-rata contract, they will be awarded a contract," added the source. Apart from the 30 centrally contracted players divided into four grades, namely: A-plus, A, B and C, five pacers namely Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal and Vidwath Kaverappa have been recommended for a fast bowling contract. The board also said that in its release that the players who fulfill a minimum criteria of playing 3 Tests or 8 ODIs or 10 T20Is in the specified time period will automatically be included in the Grade C list on pro-rata basis. It means that Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan will be eligible for the BCCI Grade C contract if they make it to the playing XI of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala which starts on March 7. Both the players have already featured in the two Tests of the ongoing series.

Here's why Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were dropped from BCCI's central contract

Former BCCI president and India captain Sourav Ganguly is surprised with top-tier players, mainly Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, for skipping Ranji Trophy matches. Ganguly came down hard on the batting duo for overlooking the premier domestic tournament for respective reasons despite receiving clear and strict directives from the Indian Board to appear in the matches. As a result, the BCCI released them from the central contract list for the upcoming season.

Ganguly said everyone is supposed to play in the Ranji Trophy, including the centrally contracted players not picked for any Indian squad.&nbsp;

Following the South Africa ODIs and T20Is late last year, Ishan Kishan informed the BCCI of remaining unavailable for selection for an indefinite period, citing mental fatigue. He skipped the Ranji Trophy matches for his state (Jharkhand), and despite repeated warnings from the board, Ishan didn’t appear to play for his team.

Instead, Kishan was training with Hardik Pandya – the newly appointed captain of Mumbai Indians (the team Ishan opens the batting for in the IPL) in Baroda.&nbsp;

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"You are supposed to play first-class cricket. Once you are a contracted player, you are expected to play the Premier tournament,” Ganguly said.

“Shreyas Iyer is playing the semi-final for Mumbai in a couple of days' time. Yes, they are young people, and Ishan has surprised me. He was part of the Indian team in all formats. Such a big contract in IPL. I don't know why he has done that. You must play especially when you are as gifted as Ishan Kishan.&nbsp;

"When you are playing for India in all formats, you must play. I was surprised by his decision not to," said Ganguly.&nbsp;

<h2>BCCI is right in&nbsp;taking&nbsp;this call</h2>

Ishan’s teammate and top middle-order batter, Shreyas, suffered the same fate.&nbsp;

Upon regaining full fitness ahead of the Asia Cup last year, Iyer played a handy role in helping India reach the 2023 World Cup finals but again suffered back issues during the ongoing India-England series.&nbsp;

Considering the reoccurrence of his back-related problems and the lean patch in red-ball cricket, the selectors dropped him from the squad for the last three Tests.&nbsp;

However, upon getting fitness clearance from the NCA, Iyer got included in Mumbai’s squad for the Ranji semis.

"I think the BCCI wants them to play first-class cricket. I am surprised why Shreyas Iyer has not played Ranji Trophy. It is a premier tournament, and you are supposed to play.&nbsp;

“So, it is a decision by BCCI and what they have thought right they have done. Every contracted cricketer must play first-class cricket because that is the basic premise of cricket in this country," Ganguly told Revsportz.

However, all concerned players here, including Pandya, returned to competitive cricket, playing in the DY Patil T20 Cup in Navi Mumbai.

Former BCCI president and India captain Sourav Ganguly is surprised with top-tier players, mainly Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, for skipping Ranji Trophy matches.

Former BCCI president and India captain Sourav Ganguly is surprised with top-tier players, mainly Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, for skipping Ranji Trophy matches. Ganguly came down hard on the batting duo for overlooking the premier domestic tournament for respective reasons despite receiving clear and strict directives from the Indian Board to appear in the matches. As a result, the BCCI released them from the central contract list for the upcoming season. Ganguly said everyone is supposed to play in the Ranji Trophy, including the centrally contracted players not picked for any Indian squad. Following the South Africa ODIs and T20Is late last year, Ishan Kishan informed the BCCI of remaining unavailable for selection for an indefinite period, citing mental fatigue. He skipped the Ranji Trophy matches for his state (Jharkhand), and despite repeated warnings from the board, Ishan didn’t appear to play for his team. Instead, Kishan was training with Hardik Pandya – the newly appointed captain of Mumbai Indians (the team Ishan opens the batting for in the IPL) in Baroda. ALSO READ: IND v ENG: Devdutt Padikkal in line for Test debut in Dharamsala as India eye 4-1 finish "You are supposed to play first-class cricket. Once you are a contracted player, you are expected to play the Premier tournament,” Ganguly said. “Shreyas Iyer is playing the semi-final for Mumbai in a couple of days' time. Yes, they are young people, and Ishan has surprised me. He was part of the Indian team in all formats. Such a big contract in IPL. I don't know why he has done that. You must play especially when you are as gifted as Ishan Kishan. "When you are playing for India in all formats, you must play. I was surprised by his decision not to," said Ganguly. BCCI is right in taking this call Ishan’s teammate and top middle-order batter, Shreyas, suffered the same fate. Upon regaining full fitness ahead of the Asia Cup last year, Iyer played a handy role in helping India reach the 2023 World Cup finals but again suffered back issues during the ongoing India-England series. Considering the reoccurrence of his back-related problems and the lean patch in red-ball cricket, the selectors dropped him from the squad for the last three Tests. However, upon getting fitness clearance from the NCA, Iyer got included in Mumbai’s squad for the Ranji semis. "I think the BCCI wants them to play first-class cricket. I am surprised why Shreyas Iyer has not played Ranji Trophy. It is a premier tournament, and you are supposed to play. “So, it is a decision by BCCI and what they have thought right they have done. Every contracted cricketer must play first-class cricket because that is the basic premise of cricket in this country," Ganguly told Revsportz. However, all concerned players here, including Pandya, returned to competitive cricket, playing in the DY Patil T20 Cup in Navi Mumbai.

‘I am surprised by his decision to skip Ranji matches’ – Ex-BCCI boss Sourav Ganguly on Ishan Kishan

On Wednesday (Feb 28), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the annual central contracts for Team India (Senior men) for the 2023-24 season. Here are the players part of the Grade A+ category, i.e. the top-tier of the contract, with a likely annual fees of INR 7 crore each (or 70 million)

Indian players part of Grade A+ category in BCCI contract

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have been dropped from the list of centrally contracted players of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The list was announced by the board on Wednesday (Feb 28) for the season from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. A total of 30 players were named in the list with a fast bowling contract for five pacers including Akash Deep who made his debut in the fourth Test of the ongoing England series in Ranchi.

The BCCI also advised the players to turn up in the domestic cricket when they are not engaged in the national duty. This comes as both Iyer and Kishan did not feature in the first-class tournament (Ranji Trophy) for their respective teams recently.

"The BCCI has recommended that all athletes give precedence to participating in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team," read the release.

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The 30 players have been divided into four grades, namely: A-plus, A, B and C. Here's the full list of players in each grade:

Grade A+ (4 players): Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja.

Grade A (6 players): R Ashwin, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya.

Grade B (5 players): Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Grade C (15 players): Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan and Rajat Patidar.

Additionally, the board also said that in its release that the players who fulfill a minimum criteria of playing 3 Tests or 8 ODIs or 10 T20Is in the specified time period will automatically be included in the Grade C list on pro-rata basis.&nbsp;

It means that Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan will be eligible for the BCCI Grade C contract if they make it to the playing XI of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala which starts on March 7. Both the players have already featured in the two Tests of the ongoing series.

Apart from the 30 players, five pacers namely Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal and Vidwath Kaverappa have been recommended for a fast bowling contract.

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have been dropped from the list of centrally contracted players of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The list was announced by the board on Wednesday (Feb 28) for the season from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have been dropped from the list of centrally contracted players of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The list was announced by the board on Wednesday (Feb 28) for the season from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. A total of 30 players were named in the list with a fast bowling contract for five pacers including Akash Deep who made his debut in the fourth Test of the ongoing England series in Ranchi. The BCCI also advised the players to turn up in the domestic cricket when they are not engaged in the national duty. This comes as both Iyer and Kishan did not feature in the first-class tournament (Ranji Trophy) for their respective teams recently. "The BCCI has recommended that all athletes give precedence to participating in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team," read the release. Also Read: Steve Smith 'isn't sure of a place' in Australia squad for upcoming T20 World Cup The 30 players have been divided into four grades, namely: A-plus, A, B and C. Here's the full list of players in each grade: Grade A+ (4 players): Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja. Grade A (6 players): R Ashwin, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya. Grade B (5 players): Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Grade C (15 players): Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, KS Bharat, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan and Rajat Patidar. Additionally, the board also said that in its release that the players who fulfill a minimum criteria of playing 3 Tests or 8 ODIs or 10 T20Is in the specified time period will automatically be included in the Grade C list on pro-rata basis. It means that Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan will be eligible for the BCCI Grade C contract if they make it to the playing XI of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala which starts on March 7. Both the players have already featured in the two Tests of the ongoing series. Apart from the 30 players, five pacers namely Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal and Vidwath Kaverappa have been recommended for a fast bowling contract.

BCCI drops Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from central contract. Check full list of players

India skipper Rohit Sharma has equaled former captains Sunil Gavaskar and MAK Pataudi's record of most wins for India in Tests. Rohit now has nine Test wins as captain for India after beating England in fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series. Both, Gavaskar and Pataudi have nine wins in Tests as India skipper but in more games than Rohit. While Sharma reached the mark in 15 games, Gavaskar and Pataudi took 47 and 40 matches, respectively to reach the nine-win mark in Tests as skipper.

Rohit is now fifth most successful India Test captain with Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin ahead of him. Azhar has 14 wins in 47 Tests, Ganguly managed 21 in 49 games, Dhoni won 27 times in 40 matches and Kohli has a whopping 40 Test wins in 67 games he led Indian in.

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Rohit took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli in 2022 and has led India against Sri Lanka and Australia at home apart from leading on tour of West Indies and South Africa as well. In between, Rohit also lead the side in ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2023 against Australia in June last year.&nbsp;

Against Sri Lanka, India won 2-0 while they beat Australia 2-1. On foreign tours, India got better of West Indies 1-0 and drew the series 1-1 against South Africa but lost the WTC final. In the ongoing series, India lead 3-1 with one more Test to be played in Dharamsala from March 7.&nbsp;

As a skipper, Rohit has 987 runs in 26 innings of the 15 Tests he has played at an average of 39. He has also managed three hundreds and three fifties with a highest score of 131.

As non-captain, Rohit has score 3,047 runs in 43 Tests at an average of 47 with eight hundreds and 14 fifties.

India skipper Rohit Sharma has equaled former captains Sunil Gavaskar and MAK Pataudi's record of most wins for India in Tests. Rohit now has nine Test wins as captain for India after beating England in fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series.

India skipper Rohit Sharma has equaled former captains Sunil Gavaskar and MAK Pataudi's record of most wins for India in Tests. Rohit now has nine Test wins as captain for India after beating England in fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series. Both, Gavaskar and Pataudi have nine wins in Tests as India skipper but in more games than Rohit. While Sharma reached the mark in 15 games, Gavaskar and Pataudi took 47 and 40 matches, respectively to reach the nine-win mark in Tests as skipper. Rohit is now fifth most successful India Test captain with Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin ahead of him. Azhar has 14 wins in 47 Tests, Ganguly managed 21 in 49 games, Dhoni won 27 times in 40 matches and Kohli has a whopping 40 Test wins in 67 games he led Indian in. Also Read: Dharamsala Test: KL Rahul unlikely for 5th Test, leaves for London to get expert opinion on injury Rohit took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli in 2022 and has led India against Sri Lanka and Australia at home apart from leading on tour of West Indies and South Africa as well. In between, Rohit also lead the side in ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2023 against Australia in June last year. Against Sri Lanka, India won 2-0 while they beat Australia 2-1. On foreign tours, India got better of West Indies 1-0 and drew the series 1-1 against South Africa but lost the WTC final. In the ongoing series, India lead 3-1 with one more Test to be played in Dharamsala from March 7. As a skipper, Rohit has 987 runs in 26 innings of the 15 Tests he has played at an average of 39. He has also managed three hundreds and three fifties with a highest score of 131. As non-captain, Rohit has score 3,047 runs in 43 Tests at an average of 47 with eight hundreds and 14 fifties.

India skipper Rohit Sharma equals Sunil Gavaskar and MAK Pataudi's record of most Test wins

India batter Shreyas Iyer will be playing in upcoming Ranjit Trophy (India's premier domestic tournament) semi-final match for Mumbai against Tamil Nadu. This comes after Iyer, who is not part of India's Test squad for ongoing series England, opted out of Mumbai's quarter-final match due to back spasm. Iyer had last played in Ranji Trophy in December for Mumbai against Andhra Pradesh.

There's been a lot of talk about Iyer and Ishan Kishan for not playing the domestic cricket despite instructions by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Iyer, after the December Ranji match, was selected for the first two Tests against England. The batter, however, could manage to score&nbsp;29, 27, 13 and 35 in the four innings of&nbsp;the two matches in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. The BCCI then dropped Iyer from the squad for the last three games.&nbsp;

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Kishan, on the other hand, has been on a leave of absence due to personal reasons for quite some time. He has not played in Ranji Trophy either and instead decided to practice with Hardik Pandya for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament. Both, Kishan and Pandya will play for Mumbai Indians in the upcoming season.

BCCI mulling on rewarding Test cricketers with bonus

Meanwhile, BCCI is considering a bonus apart from match fee for the Indian players to play Test cricket. The talks of raising the match fees/bonus comes at a time when players like Iyer and Kishan have decided to opt out of domestic red-ball cricket (Ranji Trophy) and instead have decided to focus on the upcoming T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL). Currently, a player gets around $20,000 (INR 15 lakh) to play a Test for India.

Apart from Tests, players also get around $8,000 (INR 6 lakh) per ODI and $4,000 (INR 3 lakh) for T20 internationals. All this is in addition to the BCCI's yearly central contract amount in multiple grades.

India batter Shreyas Iyer will be playing in upcoming Ranjit Trophy (India's premier domestic tournament) semi-final match for Mumbai against Tamil Nadu. This comes after Iyer, who is not part of India's Test squad for ongoing series England, opted out of Mumbai's quarter-final match due to back spasm.

India batter Shreyas Iyer will be playing in upcoming Ranjit Trophy (India's premier domestic tournament) semi-final match for Mumbai against Tamil Nadu. This comes after Iyer, who is not part of India's Test squad for ongoing series England, opted out of Mumbai's quarter-final match due to back spasm. Iyer had last played in Ranji Trophy in December for Mumbai against Andhra Pradesh. There's been a lot of talk about Iyer and Ishan Kishan for not playing the domestic cricket despite instructions by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Iyer, after the December Ranji match, was selected for the first two Tests against England. The batter, however, could manage to score 29, 27, 13 and 35 in the four innings of the two matches in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. The BCCI then dropped Iyer from the squad for the last three games. Also Read: WPL 2024: DC pacer Arundhati Reddy fined for breaching code of conduct vs UP Warriorz Kishan, on the other hand, has been on a leave of absence due to personal reasons for quite some time. He has not played in Ranji Trophy either and instead decided to practice with Hardik Pandya for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament. Both, Kishan and Pandya will play for Mumbai Indians in the upcoming season. BCCI mulling on rewarding Test cricketers with bonus Meanwhile, BCCI is considering a bonus apart from match fee for the Indian players to play Test cricket. The talks of raising the match fees/bonus comes at a time when players like Iyer and Kishan have decided to opt out of domestic red-ball cricket (Ranji Trophy) and instead have decided to focus on the upcoming T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL). Currently, a player gets around $20,000 (INR 15 lakh) to play a Test for India. Apart from Tests, players also get around $8,000 (INR 6 lakh) per ODI and $4,000 (INR 3 lakh) for T20 internationals. All this is in addition to the BCCI's yearly central contract amount in multiple grades.

India batter Shreyas Iyer to play in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy semi-final match vs Tamil Nadu amid scrutiny

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering a bonus apart from match fee&nbsp;for the Indian players to play Test cricket. The talks of raising the match fees/bonus comes at a time when players like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have decided to opt out of domestic red-ball cricket (Ranji Trophy) and instead&nbsp;focus on the upcoming T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL). Currently, a player gets around $20,000 (INR 15 lakh) to play a Test for India.

Talking about the proposed changes in pay structure, a source in the BCCI told media outlet the Indian Express: “For example, if someone plays all Test series in a calendar year, he should be rewarded additionally, apart from the annual retainer contract. This is to ensure that players turn out for more red-ball cricket. This would be an additional perk for playing Test cricket.”

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Apart from Tests, players also get around $8,000 (INR 6 lakh) per ODI and $4,000 (INR 3 lakh) for T20 internationals. All this is in addition to the BCCI's yearly central contract amount in multiple grades.

The discussion seems to stem from the situation around Iyer and Kishan. Both the players were asked to take part in ongoing Ranji Trophy for their respective teams after not being named in India's squad for last three Tests against England in the ongoing series. Kishan has taken a leave due to personal reasons since South Africa tour in December 2023, while Iyer was part of the India's squad for England Tests in the first two Tests before being dropped.

Despite the BCCI's instructions, Kishan did not have a word with Jharkhand cricket Association (JCA) while Iyer opted out of the Mumbai's Ranji Trophy fixture citing back injury issue. The National Cricket Academy (NCA), however, refuted Iyer's claim and said that he's match-fit.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering a bonus apart from match fee for the Indian players to play Test cricket. The talks of raising the match fees/bonus comes at a time when players like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have decided to opt out of domestic red-ball cricket (Ranji Trophy) and instead focus on the upcoming T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL).

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering a bonus apart from match fee for the Indian players to play Test cricket. The talks of raising the match fees/bonus comes at a time when players like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have decided to opt out of domestic red-ball cricket (Ranji Trophy) and instead focus on the upcoming T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL). Currently, a player gets around $20,000 (INR 15 lakh) to play a Test for India. Talking about the proposed changes in pay structure, a source in the BCCI told media outlet the Indian Express: “For example, if someone plays all Test series in a calendar year, he should be rewarded additionally, apart from the annual retainer contract. This is to ensure that players turn out for more red-ball cricket. This would be an additional perk for playing Test cricket.” Also Read: Namibia batter Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton scores fastest T20I hundred Apart from Tests, players also get around $8,000 (INR 6 lakh) per ODI and $4,000 (INR 3 lakh) for T20 internationals. All this is in addition to the BCCI's yearly central contract amount in multiple grades. The discussion seems to stem from the situation around Iyer and Kishan. Both the players were asked to take part in ongoing Ranji Trophy for their respective teams after not being named in India's squad for last three Tests against England in the ongoing series. Kishan has taken a leave due to personal reasons since South Africa tour in December 2023, while Iyer was part of the India's squad for England Tests in the first two Tests before being dropped. Despite the BCCI's instructions, Kishan did not have a word with Jharkhand cricket Association (JCA) while Iyer opted out of the Mumbai's Ranji Trophy fixture citing back injury issue. The National Cricket Academy (NCA), however, refuted Iyer's claim and said that he's match-fit.

BCCI mulling on rewarding Test cricketers with bonus apart from match fee - Report

England skipper Ben Stokes said that he couldn't be more proud of his team despite losing the fourth Test and the series in Ranchi against India on Monday (Feb 26). India achieved the 192-run target with five wickets in hand shortly before tea on day 4 and now lead the five-match series 3-1. England did manage to give India a bit of scare with three wickets in the first session and&nbsp;two post lunch but the effort fell short in the end.

"It was a great Test match, the scoreboard doesn't give enough credit to the game as a whole, the ebbs and flows. So much credit to our spinners, being exposed to a situation like that at the start of their careers. I couldn't be more proud," said Stokes to the broadcaster after the match.&nbsp;

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The English skipper noted that England were good in patches during the course of Test but acknowledged that it was hard to bat against Indian spin trio on day 3 (Feb 25).

"We've been good in periods, yesterday with the bat was incredibly hard against Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep. We didn't think the game would get any better, and we've seen that today," said Stokes.

Speaking about Joe Root, who scored a magnificent 122 not out in the first innings in an approach juxtaposed of England's Bazball, Stokes said: "Root, incredible knock, the criticism wasn't very fair, class is permanent."

Apart from Root, Shoaib Bashir, playing his second Test, also starred for England, albeit with ball. The 20-year-old spinner who took a five-wicket haul in India's first innings was praised by Stokes for his efforts.

"What a journey, very proud of him. You come into series and you want to win, but my message has been consistent. It's about the input, we don't worry about output," added Stokes.

The final Test&nbsp;of the series starts from March 7 in Dharamsala.

England skipper Ben Stokes said that he couldn't be more proud of his team despite losing the fourth Test and the series in Ranchi against India on Monday (Feb 26).

England skipper Ben Stokes said that he couldn't be more proud of his team despite losing the fourth Test and the series in Ranchi against India on Monday (Feb 26). India achieved the 192-run target with five wickets in hand shortly before tea on day 4 and now lead the five-match series 3-1. England did manage to give India a bit of scare with three wickets in the first session and two post lunch but the effort fell short in the end. "It was a great Test match, the scoreboard doesn't give enough credit to the game as a whole, the ebbs and flows. So much credit to our spinners, being exposed to a situation like that at the start of their careers. I couldn't be more proud," said Stokes to the broadcaster after the match. Also Read: Jurel, Gill and spinners help India beat England in 4th Test in Ranchi, hosts clinch five-match series The English skipper noted that England were good in patches during the course of Test but acknowledged that it was hard to bat against Indian spin trio on day 3 (Feb 25). "We've been good in periods, yesterday with the bat was incredibly hard against Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep. We didn't think the game would get any better, and we've seen that today," said Stokes. Speaking about Joe Root, who scored a magnificent 122 not out in the first innings in an approach juxtaposed of England's Bazball, Stokes said: "Root, incredible knock, the criticism wasn't very fair, class is permanent." Apart from Root, Shoaib Bashir, playing his second Test, also starred for England, albeit with ball. The 20-year-old spinner who took a five-wicket haul in India's first innings was praised by Stokes for his efforts. "What a journey, very proud of him. You come into series and you want to win, but my message has been consistent. It's about the input, we don't worry about output," added Stokes. The final Test of the series starts from March 7 in Dharamsala.

IND vs ENG: 'Couldn't be more proud...,' says England skipper Ben Stokes after losing Test series to India

The latest reports emerging from the Indian cricket board present a gloomy picture for Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan. Away from on-field cricket citing respective reasons, the batting duo is said to be facing an axe from BCCI’s central contract list for the upcoming season over skipping Ranji Trophy matches despite strict directives from the board.

"The selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, have almost finalised the list of centrally contracted players for the 2023-24 season too, which the BCCI will announce soon.

“Kishan and Iyer are likely to be excluded from that list, as both haven't been playing domestic cricket despite the BCCI's diktat to do so," a source close to the information told Times of India (TOI).

Despite BCCI’s first warning to all centrally contracted players who have&nbsp;not been picked in any India squad nor are getting treated for an injury at the NCA to appear for their respective state teams in the Ranji Trophy, the concerned players disobeyed the orders.

While Ishan Kishan has remained unavailable for selection since the white-ball tour of South Africa late last year, citing mental fatigue, middle-order batter Iyer was dropped from India’s squad for the final three Tests on precautionary grounds as he continues to recover from a back injury.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-eng-2024-rehan-ahmed-returns-home-midway-through-tour-due-to-family-urgency-693052">IND v ENG 2024: Rehan Ahmed returns home midway through tour due to family urgency</a>

While Ishan Kishan skipped the Ranji matches and instead was training with his IPL team (Mumbai Indians) captain Hardik Pandya in Baroda, Iyer remained unavailable for selection for Mumbai for their last league match against Assam at BKC and their ongoing knockout tie against Baroda complaining of back stiffness.

<h2>Confusion around Iyer’s fitness</h2>

Iyer remains firm on his stance of suffering from a persistent back injury that has kept him away from on-field cricket since last year. On the flip side, the latest email from the head of sports, science and medicine at the NCA – Nitin Patel, contradicted his claim.

Per Nitin’s email to the BCCI and selectors, Iyer is not due to get treated for any fresh injuries and was declared fit.

However, addressing this issue, a source close to Iyer said, “Patel's email to the BCCI was written after the second Test against England. Since then, a back problem has bothered Iyer.

“Iyer was one of India's top-performing batsmen in the ODI World Cup in India last year. He won't lose the contract just because he missed the odd Ranji match," the source insisted.

Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, after his first warning to the players, rewrote to them, this time sending a stern warning of all those players facing severe repercussions in case of repeated fouls.

The latest reports emerging from the Indian cricket board present a gloomy picture for Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan. Away from on-field cricket citing respective reasons, the batting duo is said to be facing an axe from BCCI’s central contract list for the upcoming season over skipping Ranji Trophy matches despite strict directives from the board.

The latest reports emerging from the Indian cricket board present a gloomy picture for Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan. Away from on-field cricket citing respective reasons, the batting duo is said to be facing an axe from BCCI’s central contract list for the upcoming season over skipping Ranji Trophy matches despite strict directives from the board. "The selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, have almost finalised the list of centrally contracted players for the 2023-24 season too, which the BCCI will announce soon. “Kishan and Iyer are likely to be excluded from that list, as both haven't been playing domestic cricket despite the BCCI's diktat to do so," a source close to the information told Times of India (TOI). Despite BCCI’s first warning to all centrally contracted players who have not been picked in any India squad nor are getting treated for an injury at the NCA to appear for their respective state teams in the Ranji Trophy, the concerned players disobeyed the orders. While Ishan Kishan has remained unavailable for selection since the white-ball tour of South Africa late last year, citing mental fatigue, middle-order batter Iyer was dropped from India’s squad for the final three Tests on precautionary grounds as he continues to recover from a back injury. ALSO READ: IND v ENG 2024: Rehan Ahmed returns home midway through tour due to family urgency While Ishan Kishan skipped the Ranji matches and instead was training with his IPL team (Mumbai Indians) captain Hardik Pandya in Baroda, Iyer remained unavailable for selection for Mumbai for their last league match against Assam at BKC and their ongoing knockout tie against Baroda complaining of back stiffness. Confusion around Iyer’s fitness Iyer remains firm on his stance of suffering from a persistent back injury that has kept him away from on-field cricket since last year. On the flip side, the latest email from the head of sports, science and medicine at the NCA – Nitin Patel, contradicted his claim. Per Nitin’s email to the BCCI and selectors, Iyer is not due to get treated for any fresh injuries and was declared fit. However, addressing this issue, a source close to Iyer said, “Patel's email to the BCCI was written after the second Test against England. Since then, a back problem has bothered Iyer. “Iyer was one of India's top-performing batsmen in the ODI World Cup in India last year. He won't lose the contract just because he missed the odd Ranji match," the source insisted. Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, after his first warning to the players, rewrote to them, this time sending a stern warning of all those players facing severe repercussions in case of repeated fouls.

Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan might lose central contracts for skipping Ranji Trophy games - Reports

Mohammed Shami IPL: Gujarat Titans (GT) have dealt&nbsp;a major blow as senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the forthcoming IPL 2024 edition. Shami will miss the entire season to undergo surgery for an ankle injury, which has kept him out of action since India's ODI World Cup 2023 campaign at home. The speedster missed the entire South Africa tour and is also not part of the ongoing home Tests versus England.

A senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity, "Shami was in London in last week of January to take special ankle injections and he was told that after three weeks, he can start light running and take it from thereon. But the injection hasn't worked and now the only option left is surgery. He will shortly leave for UK for surgery. IPL seems out of question."

Shami's injury is a big blow to Shubman Gill-led GT ahead of IPL 2024, whose schedule is expected to be out soon.

Shami has been in sublime touch in recent times. Having missed the initial ODI WC games, the pacer still managed to end the tournament as the leading wicket-taker (24). Even in IPL 2023, he was the highest wicket-taker, ending with 28 scalps at an average of 18.64 and a best of 4 for 11 for the then Hardik Pandya-led side. His performance was instrumental in the one-time winners ending as the runners-up.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-worry-about-jasprit-bumrah-he-is-sa-legend-dale-steyn-on-pacers-rest-for-ranchi-test-692589">'Don't worry about Jasprit Bumrah, he is...': SA legend Dale Steyn on the pacer skipping Ranchi Test</a>

The new development has pointed fingers at the injury rehabilitation management programme planned by the National Cricket Academy (NCA), in Bengaluru, for Shami. It is highly unlikely for the pacer to regain full fitness ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup and also for the Test series versus Bangladesh and New Zealand (later in the year).&nbsp;

<h2>GT squad for IPL 2024</h2>

Mathew Wade, Wriddiman Saha, Robin Minz, Shubman Gill (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Kane Williamson, Sai Sudharsan, Rashid Khan (vc), Rahul Tewatia, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darshan Nalkande, Shahrukh Khan, Umesh Yadav, Josh Little, R. Sai Kishore, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, Sushant Mishra, Kartik Tyagi, Manav Suthar, Spencer Johnson

Mohammed Shami IPL: Gujarat Titans (GT) have dealt a major blow as senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the forthcoming IPL 2024 edition. Shami will miss the entire season to undergo surgery for an ankle injury, which has kept him out of action since India's ODI World Cup 2023 campaign at home.

Mohammed Shami IPL: Gujarat Titans (GT) have dealt a major blow as senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the forthcoming IPL 2024 edition. Shami will miss the entire season to undergo surgery for an ankle injury, which has kept him out of action since India's ODI World Cup 2023 campaign at home. The speedster missed the entire South Africa tour and is also not part of the ongoing home Tests versus England. A senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity, "Shami was in London in last week of January to take special ankle injections and he was told that after three weeks, he can start light running and take it from thereon. But the injection hasn't worked and now the only option left is surgery. He will shortly leave for UK for surgery. IPL seems out of question." Shami's injury is a big blow to Shubman Gill-led GT ahead of IPL 2024, whose schedule is expected to be out soon. Shami has been in sublime touch in recent times. Having missed the initial ODI WC games, the pacer still managed to end the tournament as the leading wicket-taker (24). Even in IPL 2023, he was the highest wicket-taker, ending with 28 scalps at an average of 18.64 and a best of 4 for 11 for the then Hardik Pandya-led side. His performance was instrumental in the one-time winners ending as the runners-up. Also read: 'Don't worry about Jasprit Bumrah, he is...': SA legend Dale Steyn on the pacer skipping Ranchi Test The new development has pointed fingers at the injury rehabilitation management programme planned by the National Cricket Academy (NCA), in Bengaluru, for Shami. It is highly unlikely for the pacer to regain full fitness ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup and also for the Test series versus Bangladesh and New Zealand (later in the year). GT squad for IPL 2024 Mathew Wade, Wriddiman Saha, Robin Minz, Shubman Gill (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Kane Williamson, Sai Sudharsan, Rashid Khan (vc), Rahul Tewatia, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darshan Nalkande, Shahrukh Khan, Umesh Yadav, Josh Little, R. Sai Kishore, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, Sushant Mishra, Kartik Tyagi, Manav Suthar, Spencer Johnson

IPL 2024: Gujarat Titans pacer Mohammed Shami to miss full season, undergo surgery for ankle injury

India batter Shreyas Iyer did not feature for Mumbai in their crucial Ranji Trophy knockout match against Baroda, citing a purported back injury. His absence raised questions and concerns within the cricket fraternity.&nbsp;

Despite repetitive reminders from the decision-makers, including BCCI secretary Jay Shah and India head coach Rahul Dravid, Shreyas skipped his team's red-ball matches in Ranji.

Per the latest reports, Iyer remained unavailable for selection despite failing to get picked for the final three England Tests, saying he continues to recover from the persistent back injury that kept him away from on-field cricket for an extended duration since last year.&nbsp;

However, questions arose when Nitin Patel, the head of sports science and medicine at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), contradicted the claim in an email to the BCCI, mentioning no fresh injuries were reported.

With that being said, concerns have started to grow within the board over Iyer’s priorities and inclination towards preserving him for the Indian Premier League rather than appearing for his Ranji Trophy team.&nbsp;

Following Jay Shah’s first warning to certain players, including Iyer and Ishan, for skipping Ranji matches despite not being picked for any India side or getting treated at the NCA for respective injuries, the BCCI secretary warned them of repercussions in case of repeated fouls.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-gujarat-titans-pacer-mohammed-shami-to-miss-full-season-to-undergo-surgery-for-ankle-injury-692685">IPL 2024: Gujarat Titans pacer Mohammed Shami to miss full season to undergo surgery for ankle injury</a>

Despite those two warnings, none appeared for their state teams in Ranji matches.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the board members have begun questioning players’ commitment towards the domestic red-ball matches, which, per Shah, remains the yardstick for selection in the Indian Team.&nbsp;

“There is a recent trend that has started to emerge and is a cause for concern. Some players have begun prioritising the IPL over domestic cricket, a shift that was not anticipated. Domestic cricket has always been the foundation upon which Indian cricket stands, and it has never been undervalued in our vision for the sport,” Shah said in the letter to three players – mainly Ishan, Deepak Chahar and Iyer.

“Our vision for Indian cricket has been clear from the outset – every cricketer aspiring to play for India must prove themselves in domestic cricket. Performance in domestic cricket remains a critical yardstick for selection, and non-participation in domestic cricket will carry severe implications,” the BCCI secretary wrote.

<h2>IPL 2024 to start</h2>

The latest edition of the Indian Premier League will begin on March 22 in Chennai.&nbsp;

While Iyer will lead Kolkata Knight Riders in the 17th season, keeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who has been away from cricket since the South Africa white-ball series later last year, citing mental fatigue, will open for Mumbai Indians.

India batter Shreyas Iyer did not feature for Mumbai in their crucial Ranji Trophy knockout match against Baroda, citing a purported back injury. His absence raised questions and concerns within the cricket fraternity.

India batter Shreyas Iyer did not feature for Mumbai in their crucial Ranji Trophy knockout match against Baroda, citing a purported back injury. His absence raised questions and concerns within the cricket fraternity. Despite repetitive reminders from the decision-makers, including BCCI secretary Jay Shah and India head coach Rahul Dravid, Shreyas skipped his team's red-ball matches in Ranji. Per the latest reports, Iyer remained unavailable for selection despite failing to get picked for the final three England Tests, saying he continues to recover from the persistent back injury that kept him away from on-field cricket for an extended duration since last year. However, questions arose when Nitin Patel, the head of sports science and medicine at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), contradicted the claim in an email to the BCCI, mentioning no fresh injuries were reported. With that being said, concerns have started to grow within the board over Iyer’s priorities and inclination towards preserving him for the Indian Premier League rather than appearing for his Ranji Trophy team. Following Jay Shah’s first warning to certain players, including Iyer and Ishan, for skipping Ranji matches despite not being picked for any India side or getting treated at the NCA for respective injuries, the BCCI secretary warned them of repercussions in case of repeated fouls. ALSO READ: IPL 2024: Gujarat Titans pacer Mohammed Shami to miss full season to undergo surgery for ankle injury Despite those two warnings, none appeared for their state teams in Ranji matches. Meanwhile, the board members have begun questioning players’ commitment towards the domestic red-ball matches, which, per Shah, remains the yardstick for selection in the Indian Team. “There is a recent trend that has started to emerge and is a cause for concern. Some players have begun prioritising the IPL over domestic cricket, a shift that was not anticipated. Domestic cricket has always been the foundation upon which Indian cricket stands, and it has never been undervalued in our vision for the sport,” Shah said in the letter to three players – mainly Ishan, Deepak Chahar and Iyer. “Our vision for Indian cricket has been clear from the outset – every cricketer aspiring to play for India must prove themselves in domestic cricket. Performance in domestic cricket remains a critical yardstick for selection, and non-participation in domestic cricket will carry severe implications,” the BCCI secretary wrote. IPL 2024 to start The latest edition of the Indian Premier League will begin on March 22 in Chennai. While Iyer will lead Kolkata Knight Riders in the 17th season, keeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who has been away from cricket since the South Africa white-ball series later last year, citing mental fatigue, will open for Mumbai Indians.

Shreyas Iyer prioritising IPL over Ranji Trophy raises questions within cricket fraternity

Ravindra Jadeja has always been a fantastic spinner for India but over the years, especially in last six, he has come of age as a batter as well. His improved abilities with bat since 2017 have not only allowed the side to include an extra bowler in Tests but given India much needed balance at number seven as well.

Having some great years behind him with bat and experience of 70 Tests also allow India to send him up the order if the situation demands - like in currently ongoing Test series against England at home. With Virat Kohli out, KL Rahul injured and Shreyas dropped, he was sent at number five in the third Test and scored a magnificent century - bringing India back from the 33/3 by adding 204 runs with skipper Rohit Sharma.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/afghanistan-spinner-noor-ahmad-banned-by-ilt20-for-12-months-692059">Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad banned by ILT20 for 12 months</a>

Overall, Jadeja now has 3,000+ runs in Tests&nbsp;to go with his 250+ wickets - only the third Indian to achieve the feat after Kapil Dev and Ravi Ashwin. With Jadeja becoming a formidable batter and complete all-rounder, lets have a look at his years in Test cricket and how he's now the perfect all-rounder for India:

From 2012-2014

In the first three years since he made the debut in 2012, Jadeja played in 12 games but could manage only 364 runs in 19 innings at an average of just 21. Jadeja only managed just one fifty in first three years of his debut - but his bowling kept him in the team. Jadeja the bowler took 45 wickets in the first 12 games including two five-wicket hauls.

From 2015-2016

In the next three years, Jadeja played 23 Tests - almost double of what he played in his first three years. The southpaw showed much improved version of him with the bat - scoring 812 runs in 33 innings at an average of 35. He also managed to hit seven fifties but a Test hundred still eluded him.

As for his bowling, he grew leaps and bounds taking 120 wickets in 23 games including seven five-wickets hauls and one 10-wicket haul.

From 2018-2020

Since 2018, Jadeja showed a lot of promise with the bat - offering the balance team needed in the batting department lower down the order. In 2018 he scored the first Test century as well - scoring 100 not out against West Indies in Rajkot. Overall, the all-rounder scored 750 runs in 20 innings of 15 Tests from 2018 to 2020 at a stunning average of 53.5. He also managed to score seven fifties along side a hundred in the same period.

In the bowling department, he took 51 wickets in 29 innings but didn't take a five-wicket haul in the period.

From 2021-2023

Jadeja had a bit of dip in form but still contributed more than handy runs in 17 Tests from 2021 to 2023. He scored 878 runs in the period at an average of 38 with four fifties and two hundreds. In 2022, he also scored his highest score of 175 not out against Sri Lanka at number 7 - the highest for India at that position.

As for his bowling, the all-rounder picked 59 wickets with three five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul and a best of 7/42 in an innings.

Year 2024

This year, Jadeja has started with a bang, scoring a fifty and a hundred in three innings of two Tests he has played. In total, he has scored 201 runs at an average of 50 with a best of 112 against England in Rajkot. In bowling, Jadeja had managed 12 wickets including a five-wicket haul on day 4 of the recently-concluded Rajkot Test against England to help India win by 434 runs.

Talking about his Player of the Match performance of a century and seven wickets in Rajkot, Jadeja said: "We were in a difficult situation, looked to back my strengths, play my shots. Not be too conscious, just watch the ball and play the ball. Batting first, the ball comes on nicely. Once we won the toss, this is what we wanted - bat first, bowl second. You won't get easy wickets [on this surface] you have to work hard. Need to bowl in good areas, can't just bowl and get wickets."

The performances put in by Jadeja over the years have also helped in his rise in ranking as he sits atop the chart of Men's Test all-rounders in ICC's list. In ODIs too, he is at the 10th place - being the only Indian in Top 10.&nbsp;

Jadeja has been a crucial player over the years for India with bowling more than the bat. His recent exploits while batting and the sword celebration after that, however, are becoming a more common sight than earlier - making him the perfect all-rounder for India who is capable to bat lower down the order and take wickets as well.

Ravindra Jadeja has always been a fantastic spinner for India but over the years, especially in last six, he has come of age as a batter as well. His improved abilities with bat since 2017 have not only allowed the side to include an extra bowler in Tests but given India much needed balance at number seven as well.

Ravindra Jadeja has always been a fantastic spinner for India but over the years, especially in last six, he has come of age as a batter as well. His improved abilities with bat since 2017 have not only allowed the side to include an extra bowler in Tests but given India much needed balance at number seven as well. Having some great years behind him with bat and experience of 70 Tests also allow India to send him up the order if the situation demands - like in currently ongoing Test series against England at home. With Virat Kohli out, KL Rahul injured and Shreyas dropped, he was sent at number five in the third Test and scored a magnificent century - bringing India back from the 33/3 by adding 204 runs with skipper Rohit Sharma. Also Read: Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad banned by ILT20 for 12 months Overall, Jadeja now has 3,000+ runs in Tests to go with his 250+ wickets - only the third Indian to achieve the feat after Kapil Dev and Ravi Ashwin. With Jadeja becoming a formidable batter and complete all-rounder, lets have a look at his years in Test cricket and how he's now the perfect all-rounder for India: From 2012-2014 In the first three years since he made the debut in 2012, Jadeja played in 12 games but could manage only 364 runs in 19 innings at an average of just 21. Jadeja only managed just one fifty in first three years of his debut - but his bowling kept him in the team. Jadeja the bowler took 45 wickets in the first 12 games including two five-wicket hauls. From 2015-2016 In the next three years, Jadeja played 23 Tests - almost double of what he played in his first three years. The southpaw showed much improved version of him with the bat - scoring 812 runs in 33 innings at an average of 35. He also managed to hit seven fifties but a Test hundred still eluded him. As for his bowling, he grew leaps and bounds taking 120 wickets in 23 games including seven five-wickets hauls and one 10-wicket haul. From 2018-2020 Since 2018, Jadeja showed a lot of promise with the bat - offering the balance team needed in the batting department lower down the order. In 2018 he scored the first Test century as well - scoring 100 not out against West Indies in Rajkot. Overall, the all-rounder scored 750 runs in 20 innings of 15 Tests from 2018 to 2020 at a stunning average of 53.5. He also managed to score seven fifties along side a hundred in the same period. In the bowling department, he took 51 wickets in 29 innings but didn't take a five-wicket haul in the period. From 2021-2023 Jadeja had a bit of dip in form but still contributed more than handy runs in 17 Tests from 2021 to 2023. He scored 878 runs in the period at an average of 38 with four fifties and two hundreds. In 2022, he also scored his highest score of 175 not out against Sri Lanka at number 7 - the highest for India at that position. As for his bowling, the all-rounder picked 59 wickets with three five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul and a best of 7/42 in an innings. Year 2024 This year, Jadeja has started with a bang, scoring a fifty and a hundred in three innings of two Tests he has played. In total, he has scored 201 runs at an average of 50 with a best of 112 against England in Rajkot. In bowling, Jadeja had managed 12 wickets including a five-wicket haul on day 4 of the recently-concluded Rajkot Test against England to help India win by 434 runs. Talking about his Player of the Match performance of a century and seven wickets in Rajkot, Jadeja said: "We were in a difficult situation, looked to back my strengths, play my shots. Not be too conscious, just watch the ball and play the ball. Batting first, the ball comes on nicely. Once we won the toss, this is what we wanted - bat first, bowl second. You won't get easy wickets [on this surface] you have to work hard. Need to bowl in good areas, can't just bowl and get wickets." The performances put in by Jadeja over the years have also helped in his rise in ranking as he sits atop the chart of Men's Test all-rounders in ICC's list. In ODIs too, he is at the 10th place - being the only Indian in Top 10. Jadeja has been a crucial player over the years for India with bowling more than the bat. His recent exploits while batting and the sword celebration after that, however, are becoming a more common sight than earlier - making him the perfect all-rounder for India who is capable to bat lower down the order and take wickets as well.

Explained: How rise of Ravindra Jadeja with the bat has made him the perfect Test all-rounder for India

India batter Vamshhi Krrishna has created history by hitting six sixes in an over during India's domestic Col CK Nayudu trophy (for Under 23 teams). Krrishna, who plays for Andhra Pradesh, reached the feat against Railways during their game from February 18-21. Krrishna hit Railway's bowler Damandeep Singh for the sixes during his 64-ball 100. The Board on Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Domestic also posted a video of the feat on their social media handle X. Have a look at the video below:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
𝟔 𝐒𝐈𝐗𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭! 🚨 
 
Vamshhi Krrishna of Andhra hit 6 sixes in an over off Railways spinner Damandeep Singh on his way to a blistering 64-ball 110 in the Col C K Nayudu Trophy in Kadapa. 
 
Relive 📽️ those monstrous hits 🔽<a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CKNayudu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CKNayudu</a> <a href="https://t.co/MTlQWqUuKP">pic.twitter.com/MTlQWqUuKP</a>
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCIdomestic/status/1760262831402799228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

As for the match, Andhra scored 378 runs in their first innings with Krrishna being the highest scorer with 110 runs. In reply, Railways posted a humongous 865/9. Railways took the points on the basis of first innings lead. Two of Railways batter scored double hundreds, Ansh Yadav 268 and Ravi Singh 258 apart from Anchit Yadav's 133.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pakistan-batter-babar-azam-becomes-fastest-to-score-10000-t20-runs-goes-past-chris-gayle-and-virat-kohli-692382">Pakistan batter Babar Azam becomes fastest to score 10,000 T20 runs, goes past Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli</a>

Krrishna is the fourth batter from India to hit six sixes in an over after Ravi Shastri (1985), Yuvraj Singh (2007) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (2022).

Shastri achieved the feat when batting for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy against Baroda. Before him, West Indies' Gary Sobers had smashed six sixes in an over.

Yuvraj, on the other hand, had reached the milestone in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 against England. Yuvraj had hit now retired England bowler Stuart Broad for six sixes and had become only the second batter after South African Herschelle Gibbs to do it in the international cricket. Gibbs had done the same to Netherlands bowler Daan Van Bunge in 2007 ICC ODI World Cup.

Gaikwad equalled this record in domestic List A (50-over Vijay Hazare trophy) while batting for Maharashtra against Uttar Pradesh. Gaikwad went one up than others as he smashed seven sixes in one over off U.P. bowler Shiva Singh - taking 43 runs off the over.

India batter Vamshhi Krrishna has created history by hitting six sixes in an over during India's domestic Col CK Nayudu trophy (for Under 23 teams). Krrishna, who plays for Andhra Pradesh, reached the feat against Railways during their game from February 18-21.

India batter Vamshhi Krrishna has created history by hitting six sixes in an over during India's domestic Col CK Nayudu trophy (for Under 23 teams). Krrishna, who plays for Andhra Pradesh, reached the feat against Railways during their game from February 18-21. Krrishna hit Railway's bowler Damandeep Singh for the sixes during his 64-ball 100. The Board on Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Domestic also posted a video of the feat on their social media handle X. Have a look at the video below: 𝟔 𝐒𝐈𝐗𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭! 🚨 Vamshhi Krrishna of Andhra hit 6 sixes in an over off Railways spinner Damandeep Singh on his way to a blistering 64-ball 110 in the Col C K Nayudu Trophy in Kadapa. Relive 📽️ those monstrous hits 🔽@IDFCFIRSTBank | #CKNayudu pic.twitter.com/MTlQWqUuKP — BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 21, 2024 × As for the match, Andhra scored 378 runs in their first innings with Krrishna being the highest scorer with 110 runs. In reply, Railways posted a humongous 865/9. Railways took the points on the basis of first innings lead. Two of Railways batter scored double hundreds, Ansh Yadav 268 and Ravi Singh 258 apart from Anchit Yadav's 133. Also Read: Pakistan batter Babar Azam becomes fastest to score 10,000 T20 runs, goes past Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli Krrishna is the fourth batter from India to hit six sixes in an over after Ravi Shastri (1985), Yuvraj Singh (2007) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (2022). Shastri achieved the feat when batting for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy against Baroda. Before him, West Indies' Gary Sobers had smashed six sixes in an over. Yuvraj, on the other hand, had reached the milestone in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 against England. Yuvraj had hit now retired England bowler Stuart Broad for six sixes and had become only the second batter after South African Herschelle Gibbs to do it in the international cricket. Gibbs had done the same to Netherlands bowler Daan Van Bunge in 2007 ICC ODI World Cup. Gaikwad equalled this record in domestic List A (50-over Vijay Hazare trophy) while batting for Maharashtra against Uttar Pradesh. Gaikwad went one up than others as he smashed seven sixes in one over off U.P. bowler Shiva Singh - taking 43 runs off the over.

India's Vamshhi Krrishna hits six sixes in an over of domestic cricket match in CK Nayudu trophy - WATCH

India batter KL Rahul has been ruled out of the fourth Test against England which starts on Friday (Feb 23) in Ranchi. Apart from him, pacer Jasprit Bumrah has also been rested to manage his workload. The updates were provided by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (Feb 20). Rahul's participation in the final match of the five-Test series, which starts on March 7 in Dharamsala, is also subject to fitness.

"KL Rahul is ruled out of the 4th Test. His participation in the final Test match in Dharamsala is subject to fitness," read the BCCI statement. Rahul was 90 per cent fit, as per the BCCI statement, ahead of the Rajkot Test but wasn't included as a precaution. He didn't play the second Test as well after playing the first Test.

"Jasprit Bumrah has been released from the squad for the 4th IDFC First Bank Test against England in Ranchi. The decision was taken keeping in mind the duration of the series and amount of cricket he has played in recent times," read the statement further.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/explained-how-rise-of-ravindra-jadeja-with-the-bat-has-made-him-the-perfect-test-all-rounder-for-india-692097">Explained: How rise of Ravindra Jadeja with the bat has made him the perfect Test all-rounder for India</a>

In place of Bumrah, pacer Mukesh Kumar, who was released from the squad ahead of the third Test has been included again.

The decision about Bumrah, India's best bowler in the series against England with 17 wickets in three matches, was taken considering the upcoming IPL 2024 season and the T20 World Cup after.

In place of Rahul, Sarfaraz, who scored 62 and 68 in both the innings of his debut match in Rajkot, is expected to keep his place while Patidar, who managed just five runs across two innings, is more likely to make a place in playing XI.

Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who scored 46 in his debut innings, might also get to keep his place ahead of KS Bharat who has had a modest run in the first two games.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep

India batter KL Rahul has been ruled out of the fourth Test against England which starts on Friday (Feb 23) in Ranchi. Apart from him, pacer Jasprit Bumrah has also been rested to manage his workload.

India batter KL Rahul has been ruled out of the fourth Test against England which starts on Friday (Feb 23) in Ranchi. Apart from him, pacer Jasprit Bumrah has also been rested to manage his workload. The updates were provided by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (Feb 20). Rahul's participation in the final match of the five-Test series, which starts on March 7 in Dharamsala, is also subject to fitness. "KL Rahul is ruled out of the 4th Test. His participation in the final Test match in Dharamsala is subject to fitness," read the BCCI statement. Rahul was 90 per cent fit, as per the BCCI statement, ahead of the Rajkot Test but wasn't included as a precaution. He didn't play the second Test as well after playing the first Test. "Jasprit Bumrah has been released from the squad for the 4th IDFC First Bank Test against England in Ranchi. The decision was taken keeping in mind the duration of the series and amount of cricket he has played in recent times," read the statement further. Also Read: Explained: How rise of Ravindra Jadeja with the bat has made him the perfect Test all-rounder for India In place of Bumrah, pacer Mukesh Kumar, who was released from the squad ahead of the third Test has been included again. The decision about Bumrah, India's best bowler in the series against England with 17 wickets in three matches, was taken considering the upcoming IPL 2024 season and the T20 World Cup after. In place of Rahul, Sarfaraz, who scored 62 and 68 in both the innings of his debut match in Rajkot, is expected to keep his place while Patidar, who managed just five runs across two innings, is more likely to make a place in playing XI. Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who scored 46 in his debut innings, might also get to keep his place ahead of KS Bharat who has had a modest run in the first two games. India squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep

IND vs ENG: Unfit KL Rahul out of fourth Test; Jasprit Bumrah rested, BCCI confirms

India's ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah might be rested for the fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series against England. The fourth Test will be be played in Ranchi from Friday (Feb 23) and Bumrah, India's top wicket-taker in the series so far, is expected to sit out to manage the workload. The pacer, with 17 wickets in three games, has played a pivotal role in India taking 2-1 lead in the series.

The likely exclusion of Bumrah is being reported in media after India's thumping win over England in Rajkot on February 18. The hosts registered their largest win by run margin as they thrashed Bazballing England by 434 runs. In Bumrah's absence, Mukesh&nbsp;Kumar, who had played the second Test in Vizag, may get a place in playing XI.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/a-wake-up-call-former-skipper-michael-vaughan-lashes-out-at-bazball-after-englands-drubbing-in-rajkot-691559">A wake-up call: Former skipper Michael Vaughan lashes out at Bazball after England's drubbing in Rajkot</a>

Batsman KL Rahul is also expected to make a comeback after missing the second Test due to an injury. Rahul was 90 per cent fit, as per the BCCI statement, ahead of the Rajkot Test but wasn't included as a precaution. With Virat Kohli out of the series due to personal reasons and Shreyas Iyer dropped from the squad of final three Tests, Sarfaraz Khan was handed a debut and Rajat Patidar was included in the side for the third Test as well.

For the Ranchi match, Sarfaraz, who scored 62 and 68 in both the&nbsp;innings of his debut match, is expected to keep his place while Patidar, who managed just five runs across two innings, is more likely to make a place for Rahul.

Wicketkeeper Dhurv Jurel, who scored 46 in his debut innings, might also get to keep his place ahead of KS Bharat who has had a modest run in the first two games.

After the Ranchi Test, the final game of the series will be played in Dharamsala from March 7.

India's ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah might be rested for the fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series against England. The fourth Test will be be played in Ranchi from Friday (Feb 23) and Bumrah, India's top wicket-taker in the series so far, is expected to sit out to manage the workload.

India's ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah might be rested for the fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series against England. The fourth Test will be be played in Ranchi from Friday (Feb 23) and Bumrah, India's top wicket-taker in the series so far, is expected to sit out to manage the workload. The pacer, with 17 wickets in three games, has played a pivotal role in India taking 2-1 lead in the series. The likely exclusion of Bumrah is being reported in media after India's thumping win over England in Rajkot on February 18. The hosts registered their largest win by run margin as they thrashed Bazballing England by 434 runs. In Bumrah's absence, Mukesh Kumar, who had played the second Test in Vizag, may get a place in playing XI. Also Read: A wake-up call: Former skipper Michael Vaughan lashes out at Bazball after England's drubbing in Rajkot Batsman KL Rahul is also expected to make a comeback after missing the second Test due to an injury. Rahul was 90 per cent fit, as per the BCCI statement, ahead of the Rajkot Test but wasn't included as a precaution. With Virat Kohli out of the series due to personal reasons and Shreyas Iyer dropped from the squad of final three Tests, Sarfaraz Khan was handed a debut and Rajat Patidar was included in the side for the third Test as well. For the Ranchi match, Sarfaraz, who scored 62 and 68 in both the innings of his debut match, is expected to keep his place while Patidar, who managed just five runs across two innings, is more likely to make a place for Rahul. Wicketkeeper Dhurv Jurel, who scored 46 in his debut innings, might also get to keep his place ahead of KS Bharat who has had a modest run in the first two games. After the Ranchi Test, the final game of the series will be played in Dharamsala from March 7.

IND vs ENG: India pacer Jasprit Bumrah to be rested for fourth Test in Ranchi against England, say reports

India spinner Ravi Ashwin is set to rejoin the team in the ongoing third Test against England in Rajkot after withdrawing from the game post the end of play on day 2 due to a&nbsp;family emergency, confirmed the Indian cricket board. The spinner, as per reports, can reach Rajkot as soon as lunch on day 4 (Feb 18). He had missed the proceedings on day 3 and his return will provide a big boost to India's chances of winning the Test.&nbsp;

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is pleased to announce the return of R Ashwin to the squad after a brief absence due to a family emergency," the board said in a statement.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-3rd-test-england-batter-ben-duckett-wants-some-credit-for-yashasvi-jaiswals-104-on-day-3-691358">IND vs ENG, 3rd Test: England batter Ben Duckett wants 'some credit' for Yashasvi Jaiswal's 104 on day 3</a>

"Both R Ashwin and the team management are pleased to confirm that he will be back in action on Day 4 and will continue to contribute towards the team's cause in the ongoing Test match. Ashwin and his family kindly request privacy as they navigate through these challenging times," it added.

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🚨 UPDATE 🚨: R Ashwin set to rejoin <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> from Day 4 of the 3rd India-England Test.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a><a href="https://t.co/rU4Bskzqig">https://t.co/rU4Bskzqig</a>
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In Ashwin's absence, India bowled out England for 319 in their first innings on day 3 (Feb 17) and took a 126-run lead. Mohammed Siraj was India's best bowler with 4/84. Apart from Siraj, Kuldeep and Jadeja took two wickets each while Bumrah took one with Ravi Ashwin not taking any further part in the game due to a family medical emergency.&nbsp;

Yashasvi Jaiswal&nbsp;then scored 104 to put India in command in Rajkot,&nbsp;before retiring hurt. He&nbsp;added 155 runs with Shubman Gill (65 not out) for the second wicket. India finished the day at 196/2 in second innings with night watchman Kuldeep Yadav on the crease alongside Gill with a total lead of 322 runs.

With two more days left in the Test, India are well and truly on the course of a win to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series which currently stands equal at 1-1.

India spinner Ravi Ashwin is set to rejoin the team in the ongoing third Test against England in Rajkot after withdrawing from the game post the end of play on day 2 due to a family emergency, confirmed the Indian cricket board.

India spinner Ravi Ashwin is set to rejoin the team in the ongoing third Test against England in Rajkot after withdrawing from the game post the end of play on day 2 due to a family emergency, confirmed the Indian cricket board. The spinner, as per reports, can reach Rajkot as soon as lunch on day 4 (Feb 18). He had missed the proceedings on day 3 and his return will provide a big boost to India's chances of winning the Test. "The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is pleased to announce the return of R Ashwin to the squad after a brief absence due to a family emergency," the board said in a statement. Also Read: IND vs ENG, 3rd Test: England batter Ben Duckett wants 'some credit' for Yashasvi Jaiswal's 104 on day 3 "Both R Ashwin and the team management are pleased to confirm that he will be back in action on Day 4 and will continue to contribute towards the team's cause in the ongoing Test match. Ashwin and his family kindly request privacy as they navigate through these challenging times," it added. 🚨 UPDATE 🚨: R Ashwin set to rejoin #TeamIndia from Day 4 of the 3rd India-England Test.#INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBankhttps://t.co/rU4Bskzqig — BCCI (@BCCI) February 18, 2024 × In Ashwin's absence, India bowled out England for 319 in their first innings on day 3 (Feb 17) and took a 126-run lead. Mohammed Siraj was India's best bowler with 4/84. Apart from Siraj, Kuldeep and Jadeja took two wickets each while Bumrah took one with Ravi Ashwin not taking any further part in the game due to a family medical emergency. Yashasvi Jaiswal then scored 104 to put India in command in Rajkot, before retiring hurt. He added 155 runs with Shubman Gill (65 not out) for the second wicket. India finished the day at 196/2 in second innings with night watchman Kuldeep Yadav on the crease alongside Gill with a total lead of 322 runs. With two more days left in the Test, India are well and truly on the course of a win to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series which currently stands equal at 1-1.

IND vs ENG, 3rd Test: Ravi Ashwin set to rejoin Indian team in Rajkot, confirms BCCI

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has written to top India cricketers, including Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar, to abide by the board's latest directive of centrally contracted players and make&nbsp;themselves available for domestic red-ball tournaments. Shah took action after all three mentioned players failed to appear for their state teams' Ranji Trophy matches despite clear instructions.

Per the latest reports, Shah, in his letter to the players, who are neither picked for any Indian squad nor are getting treated for any injury at the NCA, reminded them of domestic cricket still being the yardstick for selection in the Indian Team and not the IPL.&nbsp;

With the growing concern within the board and fans throughout the country of IPL referred to as the new selection ground, Shah cleared the air, saying domestic cricket hasn't lost its place in line.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/naseem-shah-opens-up-on-facing-virat-kohli-for-first-time-gears-up-for-psl-opener-691143">Naseem Shah opens up on facing Virat Kohli for first time; gears up for PSL opener</a>

Shah addressed the elephant in the room of IPL eating up domestic cricket’s space in India. He said that no one anticipated this shift among emerging players opting for IPL over playing domestic tournaments; Shah added that the Ranji Trophy remains the very foundation on which Indian cricket stood and has thrived over the years.&nbsp;

“There is a recent trend that has started to emerge and is a cause for concern. Some players have begun prioritising the IPL over domestic cricket, a shift that was not anticipated. Domestic cricket has always been the foundation upon which Indian cricket stands, and it has never been undervalued in our vision for the sport,” Shah said in the letter.

<h2>‘Our vision is clear’</h2>

Shah added that any budding player aspiring to wear the India jersey must do well in domestic cricket, and there are no two ways about it.

“Our vision for Indian cricket has been clear from the outset – every cricketer aspiring to play for India must prove themselves in domestic cricket. Performance in domestic cricket remains a critical yardstick for selection, and non-participation in domestic cricket will carry severe implications,” the BCCI secretary wrote.

Ishan Kishan took a break from cricket following the South Africa ODIs in December last year, citing mental fatigue. Per the latest reports, Ishan was in Baroda training with Hardik Pandya - the newly-appointed Mumbai Indians captain in the IPL. Though the board had asked him to appear for his Ranji Team (Jharkhand), Kishan didn’t for reasons unknown.&nbsp;

On the other hand, India batter Shreyas Iyer, who failed to make it to the squad for the remaining three England Tests, also didn’t show up for Mumbai for their ongoing Ranji game against Assam at home.&nbsp;

Citing examples of how senior and celebrated Indian cricketers in the past used to take pride in playing domestic cricket, Shah wrote,

“Legends like Sunil Gavaskar exemplified this dedication, playing club cricket the morning they arrived from an international tour. Domestic cricket was seen not just as a commitment but as a responsibility and a source of pride.”

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has written to top India cricketers, including Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar, to abide by the board's latest directive of centrally contracted players and make themselves available for domestic red-ball tournaments.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has written to top India cricketers, including Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar, to abide by the board's latest directive of centrally contracted players and make themselves available for domestic red-ball tournaments. Shah took action after all three mentioned players failed to appear for their state teams' Ranji Trophy matches despite clear instructions. Per the latest reports, Shah, in his letter to the players, who are neither picked for any Indian squad nor are getting treated for any injury at the NCA, reminded them of domestic cricket still being the yardstick for selection in the Indian Team and not the IPL. With the growing concern within the board and fans throughout the country of IPL referred to as the new selection ground, Shah cleared the air, saying domestic cricket hasn't lost its place in line. ALSO READ: Naseem Shah opens up on facing Virat Kohli for first time; gears up for PSL opener Shah addressed the elephant in the room of IPL eating up domestic cricket’s space in India. He said that no one anticipated this shift among emerging players opting for IPL over playing domestic tournaments; Shah added that the Ranji Trophy remains the very foundation on which Indian cricket stood and has thrived over the years. “There is a recent trend that has started to emerge and is a cause for concern. Some players have begun prioritising the IPL over domestic cricket, a shift that was not anticipated. Domestic cricket has always been the foundation upon which Indian cricket stands, and it has never been undervalued in our vision for the sport,” Shah said in the letter. ‘Our vision is clear’ Shah added that any budding player aspiring to wear the India jersey must do well in domestic cricket, and there are no two ways about it. “Our vision for Indian cricket has been clear from the outset – every cricketer aspiring to play for India must prove themselves in domestic cricket. Performance in domestic cricket remains a critical yardstick for selection, and non-participation in domestic cricket will carry severe implications,” the BCCI secretary wrote. Ishan Kishan took a break from cricket following the South Africa ODIs in December last year, citing mental fatigue. Per the latest reports, Ishan was in Baroda training with Hardik Pandya - the newly-appointed Mumbai Indians captain in the IPL. Though the board had asked him to appear for his Ranji Team (Jharkhand), Kishan didn’t for reasons unknown. On the other hand, India batter Shreyas Iyer, who failed to make it to the squad for the remaining three England Tests, also didn’t show up for Mumbai for their ongoing Ranji game against Assam at home. Citing examples of how senior and celebrated Indian cricketers in the past used to take pride in playing domestic cricket, Shah wrote, “Legends like Sunil Gavaskar exemplified this dedication, playing club cricket the morning they arrived from an international tour. Domestic cricket was seen not just as a commitment but as a responsibility and a source of pride.”

Domestic cricket still the yardstick for selection - Jay Shah warns top players over skipping Ranji ties

India keeper batter Ishan Kishan continues to skip the ongoing Ranji Trophy matches of&nbsp;Jharkhand despite the directive by BCCI to&nbsp;all centrally contracted players of making themselves available for first-class matches. With the final round matches starting on Friday (Feb 16), Ishan, Deepak Chahar, and Shreyas Iyer were specifically asked by the board to show up for their respective state teams.

Upset over some of the first-team players&nbsp;not appearing for the first-class matches (for their respective states) despite being fit,&nbsp;board secretary Jay Shah had said that centrally contracted players would be directed&nbsp;to remain available for the matches.

"If you are fit then no excuse will be entertained," Shah said.&nbsp;

"This applies to all centrally contracted players, they have to play. The player cannot decide his future; the selectors need to decide that. If the player is good in red-ball, he has to play,” the BCCI secretary added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-eng-rajkot-test-heres-why-england-will-start-their-first-innings-with-five-runs-on-board-690856">IND v ENG, Rajkot Test: Here’s why England will start their first innings with five runs on board</a>

Meanwhile, in Kishan’s absence, Kumar Kushagra kept wickets for Jharkhand against Rajasthan in a home game.&nbsp;

<h2>Young guns recovering off the field</h2>

Following a successful 2023 Asia Cup campaign, Ishan got picked for the home World Cup late&nbsp;last year. The left-handed batter then played the five-match T20I series against Australia before leaving for South Africa for the white-ball series. During the Proteas tour, Ishan asked BCCI and the team management not to consider him for selection as he wanted to be away from cricket, citing ‘mental fatigue’.

Since then, Ishan has been away from&nbsp;on-field action. As per latest reports, he was training with India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is recovering from an&nbsp;ankle injury, in Baroda. Incidentally, Hardik and Ishan are part of the Mumbai Indians squad in the IPL, the latest edition of which begins mid-March.

On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer is&nbsp;suffering&nbsp;from back stiffness.&nbsp;Although he remained available for selection for the remaining three Tests, the selectors dropped him on grounds of fitness and poor form.

Meanwhile, Iyer’s Mumbai has already qualified for the quarter-final and is playing its last league match against Assam at home.

India keeper batter Ishan Kishan continues to skip the ongoing Ranji Trophy matches of Jharkhand despite the directive by BCCI to all centrally contracted players of making themselves available for first-class matches.

India keeper batter Ishan Kishan continues to skip the ongoing Ranji Trophy matches of Jharkhand despite the directive by BCCI to all centrally contracted players of making themselves available for first-class matches. With the final round matches starting on Friday (Feb 16), Ishan, Deepak Chahar, and Shreyas Iyer were specifically asked by the board to show up for their respective state teams. Upset over some of the first-team players not appearing for the first-class matches (for their respective states) despite being fit, board secretary Jay Shah had said that centrally contracted players would be directed to remain available for the matches. "If you are fit then no excuse will be entertained," Shah said. "This applies to all centrally contracted players, they have to play. The player cannot decide his future; the selectors need to decide that. If the player is good in red-ball, he has to play,” the BCCI secretary added. ALSO READ: IND v ENG, Rajkot Test: Here’s why England will start their first innings with five runs on board Meanwhile, in Kishan’s absence, Kumar Kushagra kept wickets for Jharkhand against Rajasthan in a home game. Young guns recovering off the field Following a successful 2023 Asia Cup campaign, Ishan got picked for the home World Cup late last year. The left-handed batter then played the five-match T20I series against Australia before leaving for South Africa for the white-ball series. During the Proteas tour, Ishan asked BCCI and the team management not to consider him for selection as he wanted to be away from cricket, citing ‘mental fatigue’. Since then, Ishan has been away from on-field action. As per latest reports, he was training with India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is recovering from an ankle injury, in Baroda. Incidentally, Hardik and Ishan are part of the Mumbai Indians squad in the IPL, the latest edition of which begins mid-March. On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer is suffering from back stiffness. Although he remained available for selection for the remaining three Tests, the selectors dropped him on grounds of fitness and poor form. Meanwhile, Iyer’s Mumbai has already qualified for the quarter-final and is playing its last league match against Assam at home.

Ishan Kishan skips Ranji Trophy final round match despite BCCI's directive

BCCI secretary&nbsp;Jay Shah&nbsp;didn’t mince&nbsp;words while asserting authority as to who the boss around is. Speaking to the media recently, Shah said all IPL teams will abide by the latest guidelines around workload management of T20 World Cup-bound players.&nbsp;

With the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League about to get underway in&nbsp;mid-March and the 2024 T20 World Cup to begin shortly after that, Shah said protecting first-team players during the two-month-long tournament is a priority.&nbsp;

A day after confirming that Rohit Sharma will continue leading the Indian Team in the 20-team tournament in the Caribbean and the USA, Shah said every franchise has to follow the directives laid by the BCCI, underlining the importance of workload management with a larger goal in mind of winning the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

"This is the BCCI's mandate. The BCCI is the supreme body and whatever it decides, the franchises will have to follow — we are above the franchises," Shah said.

<h2>Dravid to stay as India’s coach till T20 WC</h2>

Almost 24 hours after confirming the fans about the leadership group (Hardik Pandya to be Rohit’s deputy) at the marquee event later this year, Shah said Rahul Dravid will continue to remain in his position as India’s head coach till the 2024 T20 World Cup.

"After the (2023) World Cup, Rahul bhai had to leave for the South Africa tour immediately. We did not get to meet in between, which finally happened today." Shah further asserted, "Why are you worried about a contract for such a senior person like Rahul Dravid? Rahul bhai will remain the coach in the T20 World Cup,” he added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-will-lead-india-in-2024-t20-world-cup-hardik-to-be-his-deputy-jay-shah-690429">Rohit Sharma will lead India in 2024 T20 World Cup, Hardik to be his deputy: BCCI chief Jay Shah</a>

Shah said with India occupied with back-to-back tournaments (with the ongoing England Tests, IPL 2024 and T20 WC), he didn’t get time to meet or sit with Dravid over his future and will do it in the meantime.

"I will speak with him whenever there is time; there are back-to-back series happening right now," Shah added.

Meanwhile, several players are&nbsp;recovering from respective injuries, including Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Others like Ishan Kishan, who is not at the NCA, are also directed to appear for their states for the ongoing Ranji Trophy.&nbsp;

BCCI secretary Jay Shah didn’t mince words while asserting authority as to who the boss around is. Speaking to the media recently, Shah said all IPL teams will abide by the latest guidelines around workload management of T20 World Cup-bound players.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah didn’t mince words while asserting authority as to who the boss around is. Speaking to the media recently, Shah said all IPL teams will abide by the latest guidelines around workload management of T20 World Cup-bound players. With the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League about to get underway in mid-March and the 2024 T20 World Cup to begin shortly after that, Shah said protecting first-team players during the two-month-long tournament is a priority. A day after confirming that Rohit Sharma will continue leading the Indian Team in the 20-team tournament in the Caribbean and the USA, Shah said every franchise has to follow the directives laid by the BCCI, underlining the importance of workload management with a larger goal in mind of winning the T20 World Cup. "This is the BCCI's mandate. The BCCI is the supreme body and whatever it decides, the franchises will have to follow — we are above the franchises," Shah said. Dravid to stay as India’s coach till T20 WC Almost 24 hours after confirming the fans about the leadership group (Hardik Pandya to be Rohit’s deputy) at the marquee event later this year, Shah said Rahul Dravid will continue to remain in his position as India’s head coach till the 2024 T20 World Cup. "After the (2023) World Cup, Rahul bhai had to leave for the South Africa tour immediately. We did not get to meet in between, which finally happened today." Shah further asserted, "Why are you worried about a contract for such a senior person like Rahul Dravid? Rahul bhai will remain the coach in the T20 World Cup,” he added. ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma will lead India in 2024 T20 World Cup, Hardik to be his deputy: BCCI chief Jay Shah Shah said with India occupied with back-to-back tournaments (with the ongoing England Tests, IPL 2024 and T20 WC), he didn’t get time to meet or sit with Dravid over his future and will do it in the meantime. "I will speak with him whenever there is time; there are back-to-back series happening right now," Shah added. Meanwhile, several players are recovering from respective injuries, including Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Others like Ishan Kishan, who is not at the NCA, are also directed to appear for their states for the ongoing Ranji Trophy.

BCCI is bigger than all IPL franchises: Jay Shah on teams following guidelines on players workload management

Former South African captain AB de Villiers opened up on Ishan Kishan's absence from international cricket. Kishan was part of India's 2023&nbsp;ODI World Cup campaign at home and even took part in the five T20Is&nbsp;versus Australia,&nbsp;held shortly after the mega event. He, however,&nbsp;has not appeared for the national side&nbsp;since withdrawing from India’s Test series against hosts South Africa, in December-January, citing mental fatigue.

A lot has been said and written about Kishan's absence as the keeper-batter hasn't featured in the ongoing home Tests versus England as well. Moreover,&nbsp;the BCCI, the Indian team management and cricket pundits have been a little critical of the 25-year-old&nbsp;for his absence from domestic red-ball cricket.

Recently, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah&nbsp;stated that&nbsp;it was compulsory for centrally contracted Indian cricketers to play domestic games when asked by the selectors. Thus, De Villiers opined on Kishan's unavailability and feels there needs to be 'proper communication' between the star batter and the Indian cricket board, emphasising that there is a way back for everyone.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, De Villiers said, "Very interesting scenario there in India and I have been through this quite a bit throughout my career as well. It is a very tricky situation. Players trying to manage their careers, and rightfully so, but the difficulty around this is that there are a lot of T20 leagues around the world, IPL, and it's taking up a lot of attention...of the player's focus is on that."

The 39-year-old veteran believes that Kishan’s decision to take time off&nbsp;is a call based on basic human instincts.

"Guys, you do run out of energy, and once you run out of energy, you tend to go in your defensive mode and into a shell where you look after what you feel is important to you, and that's a human reaction,” De Villiers further opined.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/anil-kumble-not-surprised-with-rohit-sharma-confirmed-to-lead-india-in-t20-world-cup-heres-why-690489">Anil Kumble not 'surprised' with Rohit Sharma confirmed to lead India in T20 World Cup! Here's why -</a>

He added, "So, whether Ishan is doing it wrong or other players are doing it right or wrong, I do not know but what needs to happen is proper communication. So, the players know exactly what, not only proper communication but proper and regular communication."

Following India’s 106-run win in the second Test&nbsp;versus England, in Visakhapatnam, head coach Rahul Dravid stressed that Kishan has the ability to decide when he wants to return to the Indian squad, indicating that the youngster needs to play some cricket to regain his spot.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Former South African captain AB de Villiers opened up on Ishan Kishan's absence from international cricket. Kishan was part of India's 2023 ODI World Cup campaign at home and even took part in the five T20Is versus Australia, held shortly after the mega event.

Former South African captain AB de Villiers opened up on Ishan Kishan's absence from international cricket. Kishan was part of India's 2023 ODI World Cup campaign at home and even took part in the five T20Is versus Australia, held shortly after the mega event. He, however, has not appeared for the national side since withdrawing from India’s Test series against hosts South Africa, in December-January, citing mental fatigue. A lot has been said and written about Kishan's absence as the keeper-batter hasn't featured in the ongoing home Tests versus England as well. Moreover, the BCCI, the Indian team management and cricket pundits have been a little critical of the 25-year-old for his absence from domestic red-ball cricket. Recently, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah stated that it was compulsory for centrally contracted Indian cricketers to play domestic games when asked by the selectors. Thus, De Villiers opined on Kishan's unavailability and feels there needs to be 'proper communication' between the star batter and the Indian cricket board, emphasising that there is a way back for everyone. Speaking on his YouTube channel, De Villiers said, "Very interesting scenario there in India and I have been through this quite a bit throughout my career as well. It is a very tricky situation. Players trying to manage their careers, and rightfully so, but the difficulty around this is that there are a lot of T20 leagues around the world, IPL, and it's taking up a lot of attention...of the player's focus is on that." The 39-year-old veteran believes that Kishan’s decision to take time off is a call based on basic human instincts. "Guys, you do run out of energy, and once you run out of energy, you tend to go in your defensive mode and into a shell where you look after what you feel is important to you, and that's a human reaction,” De Villiers further opined. Also read: Anil Kumble not 'surprised' with Rohit Sharma confirmed to lead India in T20 World Cup! Here's why - He added, "So, whether Ishan is doing it wrong or other players are doing it right or wrong, I do not know but what needs to happen is proper communication. So, the players know exactly what, not only proper communication but proper and regular communication." Following India’s 106-run win in the second Test versus England, in Visakhapatnam, head coach Rahul Dravid stressed that Kishan has the ability to decide when he wants to return to the Indian squad, indicating that the youngster needs to play some cricket to regain his spot.

De Villiers opines on Ishan Kishan's absence, urges for 'proper communication' between BCCI and star batter

Rohit Sharma will continue to lead India at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA (in June), BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed on the eve of the third India-England Test in Rajkot. Shah said Rohit has everyone's backing within the dressing room and the board, adding future captain Hardik Pandya will be his deputy in this tournament.

After replacing Virat Kohli as the all-format skipper in late 2021, Rohit captained Team India at the 2022 T20 WC in Australia, where they lost to England by ten wickets in the semis. Under his leadership, India played the World Test Championship (WTC) and the 2023 World Cup final (at home), losing to Australia on both occasions.&nbsp;

Rohit remained unavailable for selection in the T20Is since the Adelaide semis loss, only to return during the Afghanistan T20Is earlier this year. Rohit’s selection in that series indicated who will lead India in the marquee event later in the year.

"The fact that he was returning after a year to lead in the Afghanistan series recently meant he was obviously going to [lead in the T20 World Cup]," Shah said during an event in Rajkot on Wednesday (Feb 14).&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sarfaraz-khan-dhruv-jurel-debut-for-india-as-hosts-bat-first-against-england-in-rajkot-690402">Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel debut for India as hosts bat first against England in Rajkot</a>

While backing Rohit to break the ice (of India winning an ICC tournament), Shah confirmed Pandya’s role in the team for the T20 World Cup.

 
"In T20s, Hardik will be the captain for certain [in the future],” Shah said.

"Rohit has the ability, we know. As he showed in the ODI World Cup, where we won 10 matches in a row until the final. I am confident that India will lift the 2024 T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma's captaincy in Barbados,” the BCCI&nbsp;secretary added.

<h2>Shah opens on Virat Kohli’s T20I future</h2>

Jay Shah also commented on the noise around Virat Kohli for a) the reason behind missing the England Tests, and b) will he play the T20 World Cup?

On Virat missing the home series against England, Shah said that a man who is the first to raise his hand whenever the team needs him should be left alone if he’s asked for some space (probably for the first time in his career).&nbsp;

"If a person, for the first time in a 15-year career, asks for personal leave, it's his right. Virat is not a player who will ask for leave for no reason. We need to trust our player and back him,” Shah said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, on Virat Kohli’s T20I future, Shah said, "We will talk about him [soon]."

Rohit Sharma will continue to lead India at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA (in June), BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed on the eve of the third India-England Test in Rajkot.

Rohit Sharma will continue to lead India at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA (in June), BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed on the eve of the third India-England Test in Rajkot. Shah said Rohit has everyone's backing within the dressing room and the board, adding future captain Hardik Pandya will be his deputy in this tournament. After replacing Virat Kohli as the all-format skipper in late 2021, Rohit captained Team India at the 2022 T20 WC in Australia, where they lost to England by ten wickets in the semis. Under his leadership, India played the World Test Championship (WTC) and the 2023 World Cup final (at home), losing to Australia on both occasions. Rohit remained unavailable for selection in the T20Is since the Adelaide semis loss, only to return during the Afghanistan T20Is earlier this year. Rohit’s selection in that series indicated who will lead India in the marquee event later in the year. "The fact that he was returning after a year to lead in the Afghanistan series recently meant he was obviously going to [lead in the T20 World Cup]," Shah said during an event in Rajkot on Wednesday (Feb 14). ALSO READ: Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel debut for India as hosts bat first against England in Rajkot While backing Rohit to break the ice (of India winning an ICC tournament), Shah confirmed Pandya’s role in the team for the T20 World Cup. "In T20s, Hardik will be the captain for certain [in the future],” Shah said. "Rohit has the ability, we know. As he showed in the ODI World Cup, where we won 10 matches in a row until the final. I am confident that India will lift the 2024 T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma's captaincy in Barbados,” the BCCI secretary added. Shah opens on Virat Kohli’s T20I future Jay Shah also commented on the noise around Virat Kohli for a) the reason behind missing the England Tests, and b) will he play the T20 World Cup? On Virat missing the home series against England, Shah said that a man who is the first to raise his hand whenever the team needs him should be left alone if he’s asked for some space (probably for the first time in his career). "If a person, for the first time in a 15-year career, asks for personal leave, it's his right. Virat is not a player who will ask for leave for no reason. We need to trust our player and back him,” Shah said. Meanwhile, on Virat Kohli’s T20I future, Shah said, "We will talk about him [soon]."

Rohit Sharma will lead India in 2024 T20 World Cup, Hardik to be his deputy: BCCI chief Jay Shah

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