No Shreyas Iyer and no Ishaan Kishan in the recently announced list of central contracts. Does it send the right signal to players who disregard national duty or domestic commitments, and only wish to focus on the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL)? Does it really matter to them when their IPL contracts are worth crores, or is this a landmark move that will show results next season when players think again about taking undue liberties?
The fact is, this is a welcome move. The BCCI had to crack the whip because players had started to take things for granted. And by taking a stand, the board has sent a strong message. Yes, you can earn money by playing the IPL, but is sport only about the bottom line? Unless you play for the national team, you don’t really leave behind a legacy, and that’s what generations of players have strived for. You want to be remembered for what you did for the national team and unless you are considered, your contributions as a cricket player could be overlooked.
Will this decision have a long-term impact? Will players play the Ranji Trophy next season, knowing that if they don’t, there will be consequences? The real impact will only be felt then, when we see if other players follow in the footsteps of Iyer and Kishan.
What is important here is that this is not just a decision taken by administrators. Rohit Sharma, the skipper, was scathing in the press conference at the end of the Ranchi Test. Both he and Virat Kohli were the original IPL babies, but the fact that the longest format continues to endure, and even thrive, has much to do with how much that duo cherish the Test cap.
BCCI sticks to its words, drops stars who did not play Ranji Trophy games from list of centrally-contracted players.
✍🏻 @shamik100#IshanKishan #Iyerhttps://t.co/1YZVfWy0hi
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) February 28, 2024
Within a day of Rohit’s comments, the BCCI followed up with this announcement. Clearly, there is synergy in the way the board and the team management think and that’s what is good to see. If it is all about big money and ego, the inner core of sport is lost. You play for the love of the game and the competition. The rewards are a by-product. To not play domestic competitions just because you are sitting on a lucrative IPL contract goes against the game’s very ethos. No individual is bigger than the sport, and the contract announcement has tried to reinforce that.
Finally, no player can sustain excellence by playing only the IPL. You need to be in constant touch to be able to raise the bar. Unless you play international cricket, and perhaps Ranji Trophy when looking to get the groove back, your game is bound to get impacted. And IPL owners will brook no failure. When they pay top dollar, they want the players to back it up with performances.
The writing is on the wall. You can’t let your ego take over. As players who have a lot of years left in front of them, it is better if they bite the bullet and fall in line. Get back to playing domestic cricket and try to make a pitch for the national team. Sport allows you to fail and teaches you how to lose. The better players learn from this failure and go on to win.
Kishan and Iyer may have made a mistake, but sport will always give them a second opportunity. One hopes that they would learn their lessons and get back to where they belong. The 22 yards made them who they are and gave them fame. Whatever else they do, they can’t disrespect that 22-yard strip. Seeing them back in state colours next season would be the best thing, and a telling statement that the BCCI decision had genuine impact.
🚨BCCI announces annual player retainership 2023-24 – Team India (Senior Men) #TeamIndia
Grade A+
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja.
Grade A
R Ashwin, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya.
Grade B
Surya Kumar… pic.twitter.com/lzgiNGgs6l
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) February 28, 2024