The Board of Control for Cricket in India is clearly miffed with Ishan Kishan for not playing for Jharkhand in the ongoing Ranji Trophy and instead preparing for IPL 2024.
Kishan had withdrawn from the Test series in South Africa in December citing mental fatigue after which he was not picked for the home T20I series against Afghanistan and the ongoing five Test series against England.
Head Coach Rahul Dravid wanted him to play domestic cricket first which he didn't and was ignored by the selectors. Kishan has been training and practicing at the Kiran More Academy in Vadodara, along with the Pandya brothers -- Hardik and Krunal -- for the past few weeks.
According to The Times of India newspaper, the BCCI isn't too happy with 'certain established India players' attitude towards red ball cricket, particularly the Ranji Trophy'. And it is quite evident that their ire is directed at Kishan.
Except for the players like Hardik Pandya, who is recovering from an injury, the others will have to play in the Ranji Trophy and the BCCI will soon issue a notice in this regard to every player, the newspaper reports.
'In the next few days, all the players will be communicated by the BCCI to play for their state team in the Ranji Trophy, as long as they are not on national duty, with only those who are unfit and recovering at the NCA being granted an exemption. The Board isn't too happy with certain players already in IPL mode from January,' a source told TOI.
It remains to be seen if Kishan, who has so far defied Dravid, now goes against the BCCI's diktat to play in the Ranji Trophy.
Will he turn out for Jharkhand in their Ranji Trophy Group A match against Rajasthan at the Keenan stadium, Jamshedpur, from February 16?
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