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Head coach Rahul Dravid has quashed media reports of disciplinary action taken against Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer which led to them getting dropped for the three-T20I series against Afghanistan. Dravid labelled the media reports as ‘fake’ explaining the reasons why they did not make it into the T20I squad which will be India’s last T20I series before T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies.
Kishan requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for a break and was released from the two-Test series against South Africa. Dravid confirmed that Kishan is yet to make himself available for selection.
"No absolutely not (disciplinary issue). Ishan Kishan was not available for selection. Ishan requested for a break, which we agreed in South Africa. We supported it. He has not yet made himself available. I don't think he has made himself available as yet. When he is available, he will play domestic cricket and make himself available for selection," Dravid told the reporters in the pre-series press conference in Mohali.
As the BCCI did not give an official statement on why Iyer was not in the playing eleven, Dravid clarified that he is not rested but dropped from the side.
“Certainly, in Shreyas Iyer's case, there is absolutely no disciplinary reason for his non-inclusion. It's just that he missed out. There were a lot of batters in the team. Shreyas missed out, he didn't play the T20Is in South Africa, if you noticed. They are a lot of batters and it's not easy to fit everyone. So, absolutely, there is no disciplinary reasons at all. At least I didn't discuss such things with the selectors," he added.
Meanwhile, Iyer has made himself available to play for Mumbai against Andhra Pradesh starting January 12 at Wankhede Stadium. He was a part of the T20I series against South Africa but warmed the benches.
Dravid also confirmed that Virat Kohli will not play in the first T20I due to personal reasons and Yashasvi Jaiswal will open the innings with skipper Rohit Sharma.
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