The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has added approximately 30 players, including Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, to the National Cricket Academy’s High-Performance Monitoring Programme in preparation for the upcoming domestic cricket season.
Recent reports reveal that Indian cricketers Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have been selected for the high-performance monitoring programme at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, overseen by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Previously key players for the Indian team, both Iyer and Kishan have been overlooked by the selection committee due to disciplinary issues.
In a significant move, the BCCI has excluded Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the annual central contract list. Despite their regular presence in the national team, the duo was not considered for the contract after they repeatedly declined to participate in domestic cricket.
As part of the NCA’s High-Performance Monitoring Programme for the upcoming 2024-25 domestic season, Iyer and Kishan, along with around 30 other players, will be under the guidance of VVS Laxman, who is expected to continue as the NCA chairman. This programme aims to encourage them to actively participate in domestic matches for their respective teams, potentially paving the way for their return to the national squad.
“The BCCI, or the national selection committee has nothing against Iyer and Kishan If they improve their attitude towards domestic cricket and turn out for their state teams (Mumbai and Jharkhand) in the forthcoming domestic season, there’s every chance that their central contracts will be restored and they will be recalled into the Indian team, if they perform well. This is a signal to them that they are on the radar of the selectors,” a BCCI source revealed.
The program’s inductees include players from Mumbai, who recently clinched victory in the latest Ranji Trophy tournament. Among them are Musheer Khan, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, and Prithvi Shaw. These players will participate in a month-long schedule under the keen supervision of Laxman and his team. Additionally, young all-rounder Riyan Parag, currently in outstanding form, has been selected to join the camp to further elevate his game.
The roster of uncapped cricketers also features Ashutosh Sharma, R Sai Kishore, Kuldeep Sen, and Harshit Rana. Meanwhile, players who have represented the Indian national team, such as Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Avesh Khan, and Umran Malik, are also included in the group. The camp will take place at the new NCA facility, which is separate from the one near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah announced earlier this week that the state-of-the-art center will be operational by August 2024.
