Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer are recognised as top-notch batters for Team India, yet they found themselves being excluded from the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) annual central contracts list released on February 28. Both Iyer and Kishan were absent from the list of 30 players selected for the 2023-2024 season. Following their exclusion from the BCCI contracts, ex-Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan highlighted the intriguing situation of Hardik Pandya in a notable post.
The reason behind the lack of contract renewals for Iyer and Kishan was their non-compliance with the BCCI's instruction to participate in the Ranji Trophy. Kishan did not participate in the Ranji season for Jharkhand, and Iyer, after leaving the Indian Test team, was unavailable for Mumbai's quarterfinal match against Baroda. Meanwhile, Pandya, Kishan's fellow Mumbai Indians player and an all-rounder, secured a Grade A contract from the BCCI for the 2023-2024 season.
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How Hardik Pandya avoided Kishan-Iyer-like treatment?
In his social media post, Irfan Pathan hinted that Pandya was evaluated differently. As an all-rounder, Pandya only participates in India's white-ball matches. The question arises, how did Pandya dodge the same fate as Kishan and Iyer at the final hour? A report by the Indian Express reveals that Pandya has committed to playing for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s and the Vijay Hazare Trophy whenever he is not involved with the national team. A senior official from the BCCI confirmed that Pandya has promised to participate in domestic competitions with Baroda during his breaks from international cricket.
Pandya's participation in Ranji Trophy considered out of the question
“We have had discussions with Pandya, who has been told to play domestic white-ball tournaments when he is available. At this stage, according to the assessment of the BCCI’s medical team, he is not in a position to bowl in red-ball tournaments. So playing Ranji Trophy is out of the equation for Pandya. But he has to play other white-ball tournaments if there are no India commitments. If not, he will miss out on a contract,” the official was quoted as saying.
What Lies Ahead for Hardik Pandya?
As he recovers from an ankle injury in preparation for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), Pandya made his return to competitive cricket at the DY Patil tournament, marking his first appearance since the 2023 World Cup. Playing for the Reliance One team in this local competition, Pandya took two wickets and conceded 22 runs over three overs. The newly named captain of the Mumbai Indians also undertook individual training in Vadodara. Additionally, Pandya has been proactive in ensuring his fitness levels are regularly assessed at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The 30-year-old's most recent match for India was against Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in 2023.
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