The exclusion of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the list of centrally-contracted players by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sparked controversy, with BCCI secretary Jay Shah shedding light on the matter. Shah clarified that the decision to omit the talented duo was taken solely by the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, with whom the final authority rested.

Both Iyer and Kishan had courted controversy by skipping Ranji Trophy matches despite directives from the BCCI, leading to their omission from the central contracts list in February.

While Ishan Kishan opted for an extended break following the T20I series against Australia in November, Shreyas Iyer played a few games for his domestic team, Mumbai, including crucial encounters like the semi-finals and finals. However, Iyer found himself in hot water after attending a Kolkata Knight Riders camp in Mumbai while his domestic side was engaged in a Ranji Trophy fixture.

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Shah emphasized that prioritizing domestic cricket is paramount, indicating that no player is indispensable. He underscored Ajit Agarkar’s authority in the decision-making process, clarifying his role as merely implementing the chairman’s directives. “You can check the constitution. I am just a convener (of the selection meeting),” Shah remarked during a media interaction at the BCCI headquarters.

Speaking to NDTV Sports, Shah reiterated Agarkar’s autonomy in the matter, affirming that the exclusion of Iyer and Kishan was solely his decision. “My role is just to implement. And we have got new players (in place), like Sanju (Samson). Nobody is indispensable,”Jay  Shah asserted.

Regarding his interactions with the omitted players, Jay Shah disclosed that he had communicated with both Iyer and Kishan following their exclusion from the central contracts. He also divulged Hardik Pandya’s willingness to participate in domestic white-ball tournaments in the future.

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“Yes, I had spoken with them. Media had even carried the reports. Even Hardik (Pandya) said if BCCI is considering me for white-ball, then I am ready to play Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Any player will have to play, even if they do not want to, they will have to,” Jay Shah revealed.