Kirti Azad, a previous Indian cricket team wicketkeeper, has shown complete support for the Board of Control in India (BCCI)’s fresh guideline. This recommendation emphasizes full involvement of players in local contests when they’re not partaking in the national team’s games.
Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were recently dropped from the BCCI’s yearly contracts for failing to play in the current Ranji Trophy season.
In his conversation with PTI, Azad believed that the norm should be applicable for all, encompassing star cricket players such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
“It (directive) is a very good move. Everybody should be playing Ranji Trophy cricket, but currently the emphasis is on the IPL. It is good, it is entertaining but the real cricket is the (five) days’ cricket. Playing in domestic cricket is good, it keeps you in touch. But whenever you are free, even if you’re a Rohit Sharma or a Virat Kohli, you should go back and play domestic cricket for the state.”
Kirti Azad
Kirti Azad added:
“That (state) gave you the opportunity to be a player, get selected and then play for the country. Just to penalise the two (Iyer and Kishan) is not correct, I think everybody should be penalised. Everybody should be seen with the same mirror.”
Kirti Azad
Since debuting in the Test cricket, Kohli has partaken in only one Ranji match in 2021. Whereas Rohit hasn’t shown his prowess in the red-ball format for his home state since 2015.
While Kishan was part of India’s selection for the South African tour in December last year, Shreyas last played in the second Test of the present series against England.
“My question is, are they playing enough domestic cricket?” – Kirti Azad
When asked about Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan’s chances of returning to the Indian team, Kirti Azad responded by doubting their domestic cricket experience.
The 1983 World Cup champion emphasized how much past players treasured competing for their respective countries.
“My question is, are they playing enough domestic cricket? They are playing T20 cricket, nowadays and every other state has a T20 cricket league. Back in the days when we were starting our careers, players like Bishan Singh Bedi, Madan Lal, Surinder Amarnath, Mohinder Amarnath, Chetan Chauhan, Sunil Gavaskar, Sandeep Patil, Karsan Ghavri played alongside youngsters like me and Ravi Shastri.”
“All these senior Test team players would play for their sides, would play for the pride of their state which seems missing in the youngsters nowadays. Look at county cricket; there are 20-plus counties and there are numerous three-day and four-day games along with T20 cricket, but every player is involved there. If a player is left out of the Test squad, then he returns to play for his county. So why can’t we have our players playing those domestic matches, that’s the big question.”
Kirti Azad
Kirti Azad also lauded newcomers Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan for representing their respective states in the Ranji Trophy despite playing T20 cricket. The two just earned their national debuts in the third Test of the current series against England.