Shreyas Iyer, the Mumbai-based talented batter, is facing scrutiny as the BCCI has excluded him, along with his Indian cricket teammate Ishan Kishan, from the annual contracts. Iyer was part of the national team in the first two Tests against England but was dropped for the last three Tests due to a string of low scores. Subsequently, he opted out of a Ranji Trophy match for Mumbai, citing a back issue, but a report in The Indian Express revealed a contradictory fitness assessment from the NCA.
Amidst these developments, various media reports suggest that Shreyas Iyer participated in a pre-IPL camp with the Kolkata Knight Riders. This has reportedly raised concerns among BCCI selectors, who play a key role in recommending players for central contracts.
As per a report in Revsportz, Shreyas Iyer visited the KKR Academy to increase his workload. The report suggests that after facing 60 balls in a session, he experienced back spasms, and efforts were made to enhance his resistance. Over the next three weeks, Iyer reportedly increased his workload, playing 200 balls per session and gaining three kilograms of muscle.
The Mumbai Cricket Association and Mumbai team head coach, Omkar Salvi, were reportedly informed, and the Mumbai coach visited the KKR Academy to monitor Iyer's progress. Now, Iyer has made himself available for the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Tamil Nadu. The information was provided by an anonymous source.
"He chose the World Cup over the IPL, even after undergoing surgery. To stay pain-free during the World Cup, he received three painkiller injections. Despite the pain returning during the semi-final and final, he continued to play. Notably, Iyer was the only player not given a break after the World Cup. He participated in the home T20I series against Australia and then toured South Africa. Upon returning, he was required to play a Ranji game in January, before the first two Tests against England. Shouldn't a player have the freedom to train under a coach of their choice?"
Madan Lal, a former Indian cricketer and part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, commended the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for terminating the central contracts of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer. While the BCCI did not disclose the reason for dropping Kishan and Iyer, reports suggest dissatisfaction with the players for choosing to skip domestic matches despite being deemed fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Lal praised the BCCI for this decision, emphasizing that playing domestic cricket should be mandatory for those prioritizing IPL over First-Class matches.
Lal expressed his support for the BCCI's decision, stating, "If the BCCI instructed them to play first-class cricket, they should have complied. No one is bigger than the game. The BCCI deserves credit for making it mandatory to participate in first-class cricket. Many players nowadays tend to overlook First-class cricket due to the IPL. The BCCI has implemented a rule that every player must engage in First-class cricket. So, if the rules are not followed, some action has to be taken to set an example for others," Lal told Times of India.