While, India captain Rohit Sharma, batting maestro Virat Kohli, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja have retained their positions in the top tier. The exclusion of batter Shreyas Iyer and wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan from the list has garnered quite a stir since the announcement. <\/p>\n
Kishan has not been part of the Indian team since December, when he left the squad citing personal reasons in the middle of the South Africa tour. And despite the BCCI\u2019s clear instructions to the players to participate in the domestic red-ball tournament (namely Ranji Trophy), when not on national duty and are fit, Kishan\u2019s absence from the contract is attributed to non-participation in his state team\u2019s, Jharkhand, Ranji campaign.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, middle-order batter Iyer found himself out of the Indian team after the second Test against England in the ongoing series. Despite recovering from slight niggles, he did not make himself available for Mumbai’s Ranji quarterfinal against Baroda. Even though he has been named in the squad for the Ranji semi-finals, scheduled to commence on March 2, Iyer found himself out of the BCCI list. “If the BCCI told them to play first-class cricket, they should have gone and played. No one is bigger than the game. The BCCI should be given the credit as they are making it mandatory to play first-class cricket. Most of the players nowadays are taking first-class cricket for granted because of the IPL. Definitely, the BCCI made a rule that every player should go and play first-class cricket. So if you don’t follow the rules, then they have to take some action and set an example for others,” Madan Lal said. In the absence of Kishan and Iyer, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan have made notable contributions in the ongoing Test series against England. However, the former Indian all-rounder does not believe that the emergence of Jurel and Sarfaraz has led the BCCI to snub Kishan and Iyer. Watch: Mohammed Shami awarded Breakthrough Performer of the Year Award at TOISA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Speaking exclusively to TimesofIndia.com<\/span>, Madan Lal, a member of the 1983 Cricket World Cup-winning India squad, appreciated BCCI’s attempt to restore the credentials of first-class cricket in India. <\/p>\n
While acknowledging the potentials of both Ishan and Shreyas, Lal opines that their exclusion from the central contract comes as a result of the board’s decision to discipline the players, adding, “They have to play (first-class cricket) if they are fit. The main thing is fitness. If they are fit, then they can play the first-class season. But a good season in IPL can always be beneficial, and there is no doubt about their class. They have done so well here and there. But it is the BCCI making sure that the boys are disciplined.”<\/p>\n![\"BCCI](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/imgsize-23456,msid-108125046,width-600,resizemode-4\/108125046.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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“It is true that players like Sarfaraz and Jurel are coming. But Kishan and Shreyas here have done well. It’s not that they are there without the performances. But the good thing is that we have a bench strength to replace them. And it’s very, very important to have team B as well as discipline within the team if we want to produce a better result,” Lal told TimesofIndia.com<\/span>.<\/p>\n