Drama around Shreyas Iyer as NCA overturns his back pain claim, declares him match-ready

Shreyas Iyer cited back injury to excuse himself from participating in the Ranji Trophy. He will miss the Mumbai's Ranji Trophy quarterfinal clash against Baroda which is slated to start from February 22. Shreyas was sent to National Cricket Academy (NCA) for proper treatment for his back pain after he wasn't considered for the third Test against England.

Did Shreyas Iyer fake injury?

Days later, Shreyas withdrew from participating in the Ranji Trophy, stating he isn't fully fit. However, Nitin Patel, who is the head of sports science at the National Cricket Academy, has communicated to the selectors via email that Shreyas has not indicated any 'new injury' and is, in fact, 'fit'.  He clarified that the star batter is not afflicted with any injury and is eligible for selection for the upcoming Ranji Trophy match on February 23. Shreyas was part of the Indian team in the current five-match Test series against England, where he appeared in two games and scored 35, 13, 27, and 29 across the four innings of the first two Tests. Following these performances, he was dropped for inconsistency. 

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Jay Shah's stern warning to centrally contracted players

Recently, BCCI secretary Jay Shah issued a stern warning to centrally contracted players about facing severe repercussions should they fail to participate in the Ranji Trophy.

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India's star wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan exited the South Africa tour prematurely, citing mental fatigue, and subsequently did not join the red-ball squad for Jharkhand.

The national selection committee has instructed Shreyas Iyer to engage in the game, following receipt of his medical clearance from the NCA.

Iyer, who has previously been sidelined due to back injuries, missed the last IPL season playing for Kolkata Knight Riders.

He is expected to captain Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming 2024 IPL season.

Furthermore, Iyer was excluded from the team after underperforming in three Test matches against England. The selectors have decided to overlook him for future selections until he demonstrates improvement in his performance against short-pitched deliveries. Despite a promising start to his Test career against New Zealand, the right-handed batsman has found it challenging to deliver substantial scores.

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